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Royal Champion (16/1) put his best foot forward at Royal Ascot on Tuesday to land the Listed Wolferton Stakes in comfortable style.
Roger Varian's Charyn produced an excellent effort to finish third behind two high-class horses in the St James's Palace Stakes earlier on the card and the Newmarket-based trainer ensured he would have revenge on Aidan O'Brien when Royal Champion quickened up smartly to beat Bolshoi Ballet (7/1).
Drawn wide in stall twelve, jockey Jack Mitchell opted to leave his mount without cover and the pair were stuck three-wide towards the middle of the pack for much of the contest. Bolshoi Ballet, who cut out much of the early running, was sent for home approaching the two-pole but Jack Mitchell soon had Royal Ascot's current leading rider in his sights and the pair swept on by with one-and-a-half furlongs to run. The gelded son of Shamardal began to drift off a clear line approaching the final fifty yards but was always nicely clear and went on to record a one-and-a-quarter length victory over Bolshoi Ballet to provide Jack Mitchell with his first Royal Ascot winner.
The well-backed 3/1 favourite Buckaroo finished a further three-quarters of a length back in third while Highland Avenue (18/1), who looked to be travelling kindly entertaining the straight, was back in fourth.
Varian said: "It's nice to get one on the board the first day and great to have one for Sheikh Obaid, who is a big supporter.
"He's a bit in and out this horse, but I always knew he had a big one in him. Good to soft ground is his ideal conditions, any quicker or much softer and he doesn't seem to want to know. I'm delighted for Jack, he's a huge part of our team."
Mitchell said: "That's my first Royal Ascot winner and I seem to have been coming here a long time!
"It's unbelievable. I can't thank Sheikh Mohammed Obaid and Roger Varian enough for keeping me on this horse. He's delivered and given me a great day."
HM The King & HM The Queen only runner on the card, Saga, finished back in fifth.
HM The King was present in the paddock following his inaugural appearance as King at the Royal procession.
