GLASS OFFICE sprang a 40-1 surprise as he tasted victory for the first time in nearly three years following a photo-finish in the Duke Of York Clipper Logistics Stakes at York Racecourse.

David Simcock’s five-year-old hadn’t been at the heart of the winner’s enclosure since he won a Group 3 at Kempton in September 2012.

But jockey Jim Crowley produced him perfectly at the climax of the six furlong sprint – a Group 2 contest worth £110,000 – and the judges put him a head beyond Mattmu, trained by Great Habton’s Tim Easterby.

Glass Office was up against some of the top prospects of the sprinting division, with Astaire, Muthmir and the unbeaten Lightning Moon all standing in the way.

He looked to have a lot to do with two furlongs remaining but defied his big odds by motoring home.

Now his price has been slashed for the Diamond Jubilee Stakes and King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot next month.

Simcock, whose charge had performed well as a three-year-old before having 16 months off, said: "I don't care how much work I could have put into him, he was never going to be ready first time. It was just a question of getting him back on track and getting a run into him and the freshness out of him. He actually ran very well in the Palace House over a trip far too sharp.

"He will go to Ascot now, then to the July Cup. It is a set pattern. I am pretty sure he will come on again."

Easterby was overjoyed with Mattmu and believes he is half a stone better on favoured softer ground.

"He is a very good horse and when you get a good horse you always expect a good run, but we are still a bit ground dependent,” he explained.

“He ran a super race and we weren't expecting too much - he is a 7lb better horse on soft ground.

"He will go to the three-year-old race at Ascot (Commonwealth Cup) if it is good or good to soft, if it is fast ground he won't be going anywhere.

"The Haydock sprint at the end of the year would come to mind as he would be a bit more mature."