Pat Eddery, looking forward again to Royal Ascot, is riding at the top of his form and showed all his dash to win the Merchant Venturers Rated Stakes on Pairumani Star at York yesterday.

The one-mile-six-furlong test looked booked for Tensile as he eased between Mardani and Pairumani Star to take up the running over a furlong from home.

But Eddery rousted his John Dunlop-trained mount in great style, and despite being carried left across the course by Tensile, he kept him going strongly to get up and win by a short head.

Eddery, 47, said with a measure of understatement: "I like going to Royal Ascot, I have ridden 69 winners there.

"I have got 15 or 16 rides booked already this time and some with very good chances, including Celeric in the Gold Cup and Wannabe Grand in the Coronation Stakes."