BLUE Point continued his liking for Ascot by winning the John Guest Bengough Stakes last Saturday to follow up his win over the highly-rated Harry Angel last May, writes Dave Wright.

In between, Godolphin’s three-year-old had finished third behind Caravaggio and Harry Angel in the Commonwealth Cup at the Royal meeting in June.

Last weekend, even-money favourite Blue Point made all in the six-furlong contest, going three lengths clear before having his lead whittled down to half a length by Projection, owned by the Royal Ascot Racing Club.

Trainer Charlie Appleby commented: “He just did not like that ground, so it was a brave performance. He’d been in front for long enough, but he was tiring in that ground.”

Blue Point was ridden by William Buick, making his return to the saddle after being sidelined with a fractured T12 which he suffered in a fall at Arlington Park in America in August.

Buick commented: “It’s nice to be back and thankfully I didn’t make any mistakes. He’s a better horse on fast ground. He has shown today he’s quite versatile, making all the running on pretty slow ground.”

Blue Point may now return to Ascot for the QIPCO British Champion Sprint on Ascot on October 21, with Sky Bet cutting his price by half to 10/1.

But Appleby commented from France: “If the ground is going to come up soft again we might give Champions Day a miss. Harry Angel is there for Godolphin and he’s a worthy favourite.”

Blue Point was the only favourite to oblige at the east Berkshire course on Saturday with the price of four winners being in double figures.

There was a 33-1 upset in the opening race, with Just Glamorous springing a surprise in the five-furlong Hope And Homes For Children Rous Stakes.

The Ron Harris-trained four-year-old had been out-of-form all season, but showed he still has plenty of ability by making all the running under a positive ride by Oisin Murphy.

Murphy said: “They have clearly done a fantastic job at home with him.

“Fair play to Ron and his team, credit to him. I rode him a long time ago and felt he was a very good horse, a very fast horse. He’s gone back to a fair level.”

Another stalls-to-post win came thanks to jockey Sean Levey in the second race, with Danehill Kodiac (8/1) beating French Derby runner-up Waldgeist (4/7fav) by a neck in the Gigaset Cumberland Lodge Stakes.

Accidental Agent (16/1) continued the fine season of trainer Eve Johnson Houghton in landing the ultra-competitive totescoop6 Challenge Cup.

The three-year-old, ridden by Charlie Bishop, took the Blewbury handler’s tally for this year to 47 as he defeated a field of experienced performers.

Another outsider, 20-1 shot One Master, ridden by Martin Harley, overcame her inexperience to take the totepool British EBF October Stakes.

This was only the William Haggas-trained three-year-old’s third outing since making her debut in August, but the horse had won at Yarmouth last month.

John Gosden’s Eternally, looking to win the race for the second successive year, tried to make all the running, but was run out of it inside the final furlong as One Master burst out of the pack to go away and win by a length and a quarter.

The fast-away Erissimus Maximus (11/1) won the day’s final race, the 5f Mcgee Lighthouse Club Handicap, for trainer Chris Dwyer with Lewis Edmunds in the saddle.

Ascot is now preparing for QIPCO British Champions Day, the finale of the European Flat racing season and the richest raceday in the British calendar.

The King Edward VII and Winning Post enclosures are already sold out, but tickets remain available for the Queen Ann Enclosure costing £35 if purchased in advance or £45 on the day.