THE 2021 edition of the Juddmonte International Stakes went to Mishriff and David Egan after a highly impressive run at York on Knavesmire.

Travelling in midfield for much of the Group 1 race, the John and Thady Gosden-trained colt galloped clear of his rivals and was without any challengers as he triumphed as the 9-4 favourite.

Alenquer came home in second, and Love was third on the first day of the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival.

Earlier in the day, Copper Knight was a game winner of the Sky Bet And Symphony Group Handicap in the first race on the card.

The seven-year-old, trained by Tim Easterby, started at 18-1 and was triumphant on Knavesmire for the sixth time in his career.

David Allan was the jockey on board and steered the bay to victory ahead of Live In The Moment and Hurricane Ivor.

Great Habton-based Easterby said: “He’s a wonderful horse. Dave said he’s not felt like that for a long time.

“He likes that good ground, and just coasted along. He got a nice tow into it, and it was brilliant to watch.

“I don’t train him really - he trains himself. He lobs away out the back, canters round, and you don’t do anything fancy with him.

“He’s an absolute star, and we’ll look at the Portland (next, at Doncaster) maybe.

“He was in on Saturday at Chester, but he won’t run there now - he’s earned his corn now.”

Royal Patronage was a surprise winner of the Tattersalls Acomb Stakes for Jason Hart - stable jockey to Settrington's John Quinn - and trainer Mark Johnston.

Starting as the outsider of the five-runner field at 25-1, the colt led for much of the Group 3 contest and was unchallenged at the line.

Imperial Fighter was second at 11-2, and Dubawi Legend was third as the 7-4 favourite.

“I was impressed,” Hart told ITV Racing. “Obviously it was different ground to when he won his maiden at Epsom - it’s a lot quicker today.

“I liked the gears this lad’s shown - he picks up when you ask him to.

“He’s a horse that only does what he has to, but when it gets serious he starts fighting for you.

“I was very confident in this lad. He gave me a nice feel at Epsom and he gave me a nice feel from three to four (furlongs) - I knew it was going to take a good one to pass me anyway.”

Middleham-based Johnston added: “While he was the most exposed, I was surprised he was the outsider, but there was plenty of hype around the other runners.

“We were discussing after Epsom that this seemed the obvious place to come - and we did bring him to the Dante meeting, which shows what we thought of him.

“He’s won a Group 3, and the only way is up for the moment.”

Yibir was the winner of the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes for jockey James Doyle and trainer Charlie Appleby.

The gelding came from the back of the field to pull clear of his seven rivals and take the Group Two contest at 6-1.

“The reason we keep running him is because he just shows us so much potential in the morning,” Appleby said.

“Full credit to everyone, it was a great ride by James.

“He might go to America now. He’ll go to Belmont for the Jockey Club Stakes there - it’s the middle of September, (so) we’ll probably look forward to that.

“He’s a big, scopey individual - and he’s going to be around for the next year. He’s a gelding now, so he’s hopefully around for a few years, and we’ll have a bit of fun with him.”

A trio of Class Two races rounded the day off.

Arcadian Sunrise landed the Sky Bet Handicap at 11-4 before Tweet Tweet came home first in the Ire Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Stakes Fillies' Handicap and Flaming Rib won the Sky Bet Nursery contest at 16-1.