Balding left tearing his hair out after St James’s Palace and Gold Cup disappointments

Kingsclere’s Andrew Balding came into Royal Ascot with pre-race favourites in the St James’s Palace Stakes and the Gold Cup but had to settle for second in both races as Chaldean and Coltrane were denied.

The QIPCO 2000 Guineas champion Chaldean was well-beaten by Aidan O’Brien’s Paddington in the St James’s Palace Stakes before Coltrane missed out to the unbeaten but previously untested Courage Mon Ami in an epic Gold Cup battle.

Coltrane, a winner at last year’s Royal Ascot, was well-positioned in midfield and began to make a move to challenge the leaders three furlongs from home, moving to the front down the straight.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained Courage Mon Ami, making just his fourth start and contesting his first Group race, looked to have left himself too much to do and was in the final trio but progressed through the field to challenge Coltrane as the two approached the line.

Both horses showed a turn of pace and at one stage Coltrane under Oisin Murphy looked to have held off his less experienced rival until Courage Mon Ami produced something special to move into the lead and cross the line three-quarters-of-a-length clear, landing jockey Frankie Dettori his ninth Gold Cup triumph in his final ride in the race.

After the race, a jubilant Dettori, who took his children up to the podium with him to receive the trophy from the King, admitted he was close to speechless for one of the first times in the charismatic Italian’s 35-year career.

“I didn’t expect it,” he said.

“Myself, the King and Queen Camilla had a talk beforehand about my relationship with his mother, Queen Elizabeth, and then the next race I go and win the Gold Cup and he presents the trophy.

“Nine Gold Cups, what can you say? Amazing.

“I’m speechless because I didn’t expect it, to be honest with you.”

Meanwhile, Coltrane’s rider, Oisin Murphy, said: “He relaxed great and travelled round super.

“I felt I could go and win the race.

“Frankie’s come with me and it was a good battle, and Frankie came out on top.”