ROYAL ASCOT began with a bang for Ryedale racing as Ribchester enjoyed a scintillating victory in the Queen Anne Stakes.

Richard Fahey's Godolphin-owned four-year-old set a course record time to lay strong claims as the top miler in Europe - and re-establish Malton as one of the great training centres of the country.

Afterwards, jockey William Buick declared: "It doesn't get much better than this."

Ribchester had been all the rage for the first race of the Berkshire festival following an impressive display in last month's Lockinge Stakes at Newbury.

Buick was content to take his time aboard the 11-10 market leader as his stable companion and pacemaker Toscanini took the field along at a furious gallop.

Toscanini predictably faded inside the final two furlongs and Ribchester was sent about his business.

Mutakayyef emerged from the pack to throw down a strong challenge, but Ribchester, who drifted slightly to his left when asked to quicken, held him at bay by a length and a quarter.

Deauville was a close-up third ahead German challenger Spectre in fourth.

Buick said: "I said after the Lockinge he's very versatile. He's an exceptional miler. He's got lots of quality but he travels so well and sees it out so well.

"You've got to hand it to the horse, he's an absolute jockey's dream.

"It doesn't get much better than this, it's the biggest week in our sport and to wear the royal blue for Sheikh Mohammed here is absolutely fantastic."

It has been a tumultuous few weeks for Godolphin with chief executive John Ferguson resigning, and Buick added: "We are all working towards one goal, we all want to be in the winner's enclosure and that is what Sheikh Mohammed deserves."

Fahey said: "I'm delighted he won. William said he's got huge gears and said that he was never in trouble. He gets the trip well and that makes him a good horse.

"It was not really the plan to go that quick, but in fairness I did tell Paul (Hanagan, jockey) to send his (Toscanini) out and set him alight.

"He's got to be the best I've trained, especially breaking the track record here, and that is not being disrespectful to the other horses.

"The Sussex Stakes is where he has to go as the French race he won last year (Prix Jacques le Marois) is only 10 days after so it will be one or the other.

"I was hoping that he'd stay further than a mile but we don't need to now.

"It was good pressure to have, he was not odds-on in the end and he was the right horse to have the pressure with as sometimes you get favourites that can't win.

"I'm in a happy place at the minute."