Piggott All Smiles After Royal Triumph

Royal Ascot 2006 has seen more than one fairytale result and Mont Etoile added her name to the roll of honour with a last-gasp success in the Ribblesdale Stakes on day three.

For an unfancied 25-1 chance to strike in one of the bigger mile-and-a-half races of the season for fillies is noteworthy enough, but to do it with Lester Piggott as a part-owner really is the stuff of dreams.

The ?Long Fellow' rode 116 winners at this showpiece meeting, as well as training 1986 Coventry hero Cutting Blade and part-owning 2000 Norfolk winner Superstar Leo.

Twenty years after he last won the Ribblesdale for Henry Cecil on Strigida, he tasted triumph courtesy of the Montjeu filly, trained by his son-in-law William Haggas.

The three-year-old was given a typical Piggott-style ride by Michael Hills, who got up late on the inside rail by a neck from 5-2 favourite Scottish Stage, with Maroussies Wings a further three-quarters of a length away.

Piggott said: 'I've trained a Royal Ascot winner and this is a good filly, we always thought that she was.

'She was going very well and just had to wait and get through.'

Asked what he thought about the £200 million Ascot redevelopment, he replied: 'It's pretty good ? very different but we will probably get used to it.

'It is a terrific day, especially to win a race like the Ribblesdale.'

The stewards gave connections an anxious moment as the klaxon sounded soon after the race but they decided that the placings should remain unaltered.

Haggas, married to Piggott's daughter Maureen and training his third Royal Ascot winner, said: 'She needs cover and she had to have a daring ride and Michael, who doesn't know the filly that well, had a long chat with Lester who filled him in.'

James Fanshawe had already enjoyed a Royal meeting to remember with Soviet Song and Cesare providing big-race victories, but the gambled-on Sir Gerard improved his mood still further with an impressive win in the Britannia Stakes.

The son of Marju (9-2) still had plenty to do with two furlongs to go, but Jamie Spencer, recording his fourth win of the week, conjured a fantastic finish from the colt, who went right away to score by two lengths.

Having hit the front inside the distance, he stayed on well to hold the fast-finishing Easy Air, with Upper Hand and Smart Enough filling the remaining minor places.

Fanshawe said: 'I'll probably never repeat this again.

'Jamie gave him a great ride and I'm absolutely delighted. He's a progressive horse but he's now run in two big handicaps and he's only three, so we'll wait and see before deciding where to go next.'

Earlier in the afternoon, 11-4 shot Dutch Art had landed the Norfolk Stakes to provide Alan Munro with his second winner of the big meeting.

He led approaching the final furlong and the contest was soon over, although runner up Hoh Mike and Spencer looked unlucky in second, having endured a troubled passage throughout.

Winning handler Peter Chapple-Hyam beamed: 'He's always been a bit special and I had this race in mind all along.

'People have suggested the July Stakes next but that would probably come too soon. His aim now will probably be the Morny.'

John Egan brought Snoqualmie Boy with a well-timed run to land the Hampton Court Stakes for trainer David Elsworth.

The three-year-old made a decisive move for home with two furlongs left to run and readily kept Petrovich at bay.

Snoqualmie Boy was returned at 33-1 but his victory came as no surprise to handler David Elsworth.

He explained: 'I thought he ran a smashing race in the Derby where he just didn't stay.

'I now think a mile and a quarter is his best trip, and we thought he'd run very well here.'

Uhoomagoo ran out a game winner of the concluding Buckingham Palace Stakes. Kevin Ryan's tough inmate was involved in a battle with Appalachian Trail over the last two furlongs and just proved the stronger at the business end.

? PA Sport