John Gosden: Top 5 Royal Ascot Moments

5. Muhtarram – Prince of Wales’s Stakes 1995

Muhtarram left his below-par reappearance run behind when recording successive wins in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes under jockey Willie Carson, winning in similar fashion to the one he had 12 months earlier. He crept closer towards the far rail in the straight, squeezing through a narrow gap entering the final furlong, and finding plenty for pressure as the runner-up put in a strong challenge; he's was a smashing horse who had a most genuine nature.

4. Nannina - Coronation Stakes 2006

Nannina's appearance suggested that she'd thrived since her below-par showing on her reappearance in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, when admittedly the going was almost certainly against her. However, back on a sound surface and looking in superb shape, she put up a performance to match, held up in touch before quickening into contention after two furlongs out, rousted clear and running on strongly in the closing stages. She failed to progress from that performance as the season wore on, but she went on to win again at Royal Ascot 12 months later in the Windsor Forest Stakes. 

3. Nathaniel - King Edward VII Stakes 2011

Nathaniel found only Frankel too good on his debut but did nothing but progress after and he put up a very smart performance to open his account in pattern company. He seemed to relish the stamina test on soft ground, but there was more to this win, travelling strongly to the front approaching the last three furlongs and readily breaking clear of the field, maintaining his advantage with a powerful display of galloping. He went on to prove himself a high-class type, showing his versatility when winning the Coral-Eclipse over a mile and a quarter the following season.   

2. Stradivarius - Gold Cup 2018

Stradivarius is admirably consistent and genuine to go alongside all of his talent and added another Group 1 staying prize to sit with his Goodwood Cup success the previous year, a career-best in terms of performance, not having an issue with the four furlong increase in trip, evidently a strong stayer yet possessing more than enough pace to drop right back in trip. He tracked the pace going with enthusiasm, before being pushed along around three furlongs out and led approaching the final furlong. Stradivarius is all set to return and defend his crown this year, and that would firmly cement him in history as being one of the best stayers of this century. 

1. Kingman - St James's Palace 2014

Kingman well and truly put the record straight since defeated by Night of Thunder in the 2000 Guineas and this performance not only underlines that he was comfortably the best three-year-old miler, but also that he could surpass the pick of the older generation, such as Queen Anne winner Toronado, of which he did in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood on his next start. The bare form wasn't rated as highly as his romp at the Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh the previous month, but he did remarkably well to win with such authority, overcoming a pace bias, and was value for at least double the winning margin on the day, probably more, making up his ground (from second last) on the bridle approaching two furlongs out and then displaying a most impressive burst of acceleration to hit the front well inside the final furlong. Kingman went on to prove himself the best miler around in 2014 and one of the best seen this century.