Coronet denies Mori in Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Coronet just denied Mori in a thrilling finish to the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Mori, who was bidding to give trainer Sir Michael Stoute a record 76th winner at the Royal meeting, looked set to strike as she reeled in Hertford Dancer, only for 9-1 shot Coronet to swoop down the outside in the hands of Olivier Peslier.

In a fascinating renewal of the Group Two contest, Silvestre de Sousa stole a march on his rivals as he tried to make all on The Sky Is Blazing, building a lead of upwards of 10 lengths - an advantage she still held turning for home.

However, she began to toil with over two furlongs to run, allowing Hertford Dancer to assume the lead which she held until under a furlong to run.

Impeccably-bred favourite Mori - who is by Frankel out of Midday - was the first to edge in front, but then Peslier launched a perfectly-timed challenge to just prevail by a neck on the John Gosden-trained winner, with stablemate Hertford Dancer clinging on for third.

Peslier said: "It was a good gallop, which was a big help for me.

"After the last corner, I didn't really have the gap to come. I just let the filly come slowly, I didn't want to push her too hard.

"John did say the filly takes a bit of time, but when she comes she comes home well.

"That is why I didn't panic, I took a bit of time and came late."

Gosden was pleased with the performances of both the first and third.

He said: "That was great. There was a strong pace and it was a great test of a mile and a half.

"I thought Hertford Dancer had the race won. She'd been close enough to the pace, but she ran a great race and was ridden well.

"I told Olivier his filly would come on strong late. I thought Mori was going to win and then Olivier came and grabbed her.

"It was a great run from Coronet. She ran in the Oaks and liked the uphill but not the downhill.

"It was a high-class race today."

Coronet and Hertford Dancer are part of a strong team of three-year-old fillies for Gosden, headed by the Epsom Oaks heroine Enable.

"We've got some very nice fillies. Enable will go for the Irish Oaks then the Yorkshire Oaks," said the trainer.

When asked if he would consider Coronet for the St Leger, Gosden added: "She will get further than a mile and a half. The owner is quite game but I'll have to discuss it with him.

"I'll put her in the Park Hill Stakes and the other one (St Leger), but I will talk to the owner first."

Stoute said of Mori: "She took a big step forward and ran a big, big race.

"At the end of the day, she had every chance and that more experienced filly (Coronet) just found a little more than we did.

"It would have been nicer to win, but I'm delighted with her.

"I think we'll leave her at that trip for now. We brought her up to a mile and a half today, we were confident that she'd get the trip and she did."