Dettori, who went on to win the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes with Doyen, had his first winner in the UK in 1987.

Reflecting on his time in England, he said: “This country has taken me as one of its own children, and this was a great milestone for me.

“I have a wonderful job and a wonderful team to work with at Godolphin, as well as great support from my family and friends.

“It was a relief when Nightfall won because I didn’t really want the extra pressure of Doyen being the one who brought up the 2000 – it was pressure enough that he was hot favourite for the King George.”

Nightfall’s trainer Saeed Bin Suroor believes this will have done the colt the world of good.

He said: “He is carrying some condition and will be a lot sharper next time. There are no plans and I will give him a break before bringing him back in a better race.”

The sun-drenched crowd was treated to a display of sheer class as Soar made short work of her rivals in the Group Three Princess Margaret Stakes.

Backed to the exclusion of anything else, she stormed to a length-and-three-quarters victory over Valentin and will now tackle the Group Two Lowther Stakes at York next month.

Although Victor Chandler shortened her from 33-1 into 20-1 for the 1000 Guineas, her trainer James Fanshawe doubts her capability of getting a mile.

Fanshawe said: “That was our 30th winner, which puts us past the £700,000 prize money mark.

“She’s always been a real natural two-year old and is very strongly built, much more like a sprinter than a miler. The Lowther will be the next step for her and I would think she’ll take plenty of beating.”

Kieren Fallon had his say in proceedings when guiding Court Masterpiece (7-1) to a neck success over Polar Way (20-1) in the totesport International Stakes, with Uhoomagoo (33-1) third.

This developed into quite a battle between the principals, with Polar Way and Gary Stevens holding the edge for a few strides. Fallon had other ideas, however, and after a gap appeared he forced Court Masterpiece in front in the final 100 yards.

Ed Dunlop confessed that training the winner has been anything but a smooth ride.

He observed: “We were worried about him at one point, when we had his heart tested and we gave him a bone scan, but when he finished fourth in a Group Three at Newmarket I knew he was on the way back.”

Dunlop left Newmarket at noon only to be held up in traffic, and got to Ascot with minutes to spare before the race.

He added: “This horse fractured a hind ankle when winning a Listed race at Glorious Goodwood, but at last we have him back and as long as he comes out of this OK the Celebration Mile at Goodwood will be his next race.”

Stevens deputised for the injured Richard Hughes on Polar Way and the jockey was quite hard on himself afterwards. He told Polar Way’s trainer Amanda Perrett that he may have hit the front too soon on the top-weight.

Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to Polar Way’s owner Kahlid Abdullah, said: “He ran a fantastic race an this shows he is somewhere near his best. Richard tweaked a ligament when riding at Newmarket last night and will also miss out tomorrow.”

The first four home finished well clear of the fifth, with the 4-1 favourite Vortex having every chance before filling fourth place under Dettori.

It is rare that an Ascot fixture goes by without Mark Johnston having his say and the Middleham trainer was on the mark when his heavily backed 11-8 favourite Mister Monet took the Solitare Diamond Rated Stakes by two lengths from Courageous Duke.

Mister Monet got out of trouble over a furlong out under Joe Fanning and won convincingly.

Johnston remarked: “I’ve always thought he might be a bit better than a handicapper and it takes a good one to accelerate in order to get out of a pocket, as he did.

“He has engagements in France and at Goodwood at the end of next week but I doubt that he’ll take them up.”