Royal Ascot Trials Day at Ascot was blessed with sweltering temperatures.

Coltrane was bidding to win the Longines Sagaro Stakes for a third year running. The Class One Group Three race attracted four runners, but it was a turn up for the books when the outsider of the quartet Yashin got up on the line to deny Coltrane the hat-trick by a length with Callum Shepherd in the plate.

A slow pace was set by Divine Comedy with the seven-year-old leading entering the straight before Yashin wore down the Harry Eustace mare in the final furlong to get up on the line to win by a length.

The 11-1 shot underwent a recent wind operation and the surgery appeared to do the trick.

Nick Bell, son and assistant to his father Michael, forked out 80,000gns to buy Yashin out of Jessica Harrington's yard in October and the towering six-year-old wouldn't have looked out of place alongside the chasers at the Punchestown festival.

"He's imposing and should be getting better with age, but Kate Harrington did say he doesn't jump," Bell said.

"He wasn't 100 per cent ready and the Gold Cup needs to be considered. He's going to have to take on Kyprios, who has had the beating of him before, but after beating Coltrane it's got to be an option.

"He'd have to go up another half mile but I don't see why he wouldn't get it. The Melbourne Cup could be on the agenda as well."

Shepherd duly completed a double on the day after steering Blue day to success in the 5f handicap.

After a disappointing showing at Kempton a fortnight ago over 6f, the drop down in trip seemed ideal for the Harry Charlton trained four-year-old who came through late on the inside rails to score by one and a half lengths from Duran.

Trainer Charlie Appleby made it five winners from his past 17 runners at a strike rate of 29 per cent after picking up a double through Wise Approach and Victoria Queen.

Appleby is always pacing his two-year-olds to great success at the Berkshire track with Wise Approach adding to his good record after getting up well to land the opening 5f conditions stakes by half a length.

Victoria Queen made it a double for Appleby and William Buick after holding off the late challenge of Gulya by a short head.

Jockey Kaiya Fraser was celebrating his first ever winner at Ascot after steering My Cloud to victory in the apprentice handicap stakes.

The four-year-old was at the back of the field before displaying a turn of foot to brush aside the opposition to go on and win cosily by three and a half lengths.

Sardinian Warrior has excelled on the all-weather surface after three successive wins in 2024. Making his turf debut after a break of 179 days, the John and Thady Gosden trained four-year-old got the better of Docklands to win by half a length in the Eventmasters.Co.Uk Paradise Stakes, A Queen Anne Stakes Trial.

Jockey Kieran Shoemark said: “I think he's a top-level horse.”

By Peter Moore