BACK AT THE TOP TABLE? IT SUITS YOU, SIR

SIR DANCE A LOT is set for a return to the top flight after showing all the right moves in the Group 2 Ladyswood Stud Hungerford Stakes at Newbury.

The David Elsworthtrained four-year-old (above yesterday), who had overcome trouble in running to land the Lennox Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on his previous start, rattled home under Gerald Mossé.

It’s earned him a crack at the Group 1 Prix de la Forêt at Longchamp on October 7. “Since I first rode him, I expected him to be a superstar, and he’s showing his quality,” beamed Mossé.

“I had a traffic jam at Goodwood, but I didn’t take any risks today. When I came, it was ‘game over’. He’ll keep going and there’s no word about when the ground is softer at the end of the season.”

Aidan O’brien’s Gustav Klimt went off the 15-8 favourite but continued a lacklustre summer in Britain for the master of Ballydoyle with a tame fifth under Ryan Moore.

Hamada is 14-1 second favourite for the Melbourne Cup at Flemington on November 6 after landing the Group 3 Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Geoffrey Freer Stakes.

MARK JOHNSTON joined Richard Hannon Snr as the trainer with most winners in British racing history when Dr Richard Kimble scored at Ripon to give the Middleham-based Scot a total of 4,193 victories.