Godolphin's Ramonti (Martino Alonso - Fosca, by El Gran Senor) won the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Stakes over a mile at Ascot on Saturday, with a battling display that saw him deny the favourite Excellent Art, with Duke Of Marmalade third. Cesare ran well for a close fourth.

Mick Kinane made plenty of use of the pacesetting Duke Of Marmalade, who has stamina to spare over this trip, but Frankie Dettori kept Ramonti close up in second, and challenged in the straight, taking the lead two fulongs out and and inexorably opening up a lead.

Excellent Art has to be covered up and produced late, and he came with a flourish for Jamie Spencer but couldn't get to the winner. The fifth, sixth and seventh horses home were separated by less than a head, but Darjina was last - having beaten Ramonti in the Moulin last time she was found out by the soft Ascot ground.

A Group One winner in Italy before transferring to Godolphin, Ramonti has now won three Group Ones this season - he previously landed the Queen Anne and the Sussex Stakes. He has been installed as favourite in places for the Breeders' Cup Mile.