Ten blows in for team O'Brien

Gale Force Ten provided Ballydoyle with their third winner of the meeting when battling back strongly to beat Montiridge in the Jersey Stakes, the opening race on day two of Royal Ascot.

Aidan O'Brien and son Joseph won the first race of the meeting with Declaration Of War and they repeated the feat on Wednesday by kicking off the card with a winner, a well-backed 9/2 favourite.

It looked as though the Oasis Dream colt might have to settle for second when Montiridge (8/1) edged by him inside the final furlong, but O'Brien's charge responded well to pressure and he got back up to win by a head.

Tawhid was third at 25/1 with Garswood fourth. Richard Hughes picked up a one day ban for careless riding on the runner-up.

Joseph O'Brien said: "He's very tough, but I was praying someone would come to me as he was being very idle. When he saw the other horse he put his head down.

"He got a mile very well at the Curragh, that's why I didn't want to get too far back. He's small but he has a big heart."

Aidan O'Brien said: "He fought back well. He's a hardy horse, a strong horse and loves that fast ground. Joseph said in an ideal world he would not want to be in front as long as that.

"He could step up to a mile or go back to six furlongs, which is unusual. Over six furlongs he would not want to be in front as long as that."

Richard Hannon, trainer of Montiridge, said: "He's a better horse on better ground, it's quite quick out there.

"He's quite good. There's a few French races for him. The Prix Jean Prat is only in 10 days, but you never know."

Saeed bin Suroor, trainer of Tawhid, said: "We were worried about the ground - he would prefer it softer - but he handled it and he ran a huge race. There is no target, we'll find another Group race for him."