Dubai: French raider Charm Spirit denied Dubai businessman Saeed Manana’s Guineas hero Night Of Thunder victory in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on an action-packed British Champions Day at Ascot, England, on Saturday.

Big-race jockey Olivier Peslier pushed the winner into the lead a furlong out and held on to score by half a length from favourite Night Of Thunder, whose stablemate Toormore was half a length back in third.

Champion jockey Richard Hughes did not find the gap aboard Night Of Thunder and, although his horse was finishing strongly when he did find some daylight, it came too late.

Peslier told Channel 4 Racing: “He always responds. It was a really good win today for the family and everybody who is here — it’s wonderful.

“This is the best present that I have had today.”

Trainer Richard Hannon said things did not work out in favour of Night Of Thunder.

“Hughsie had to go anywhere he could find daylight,” he said. “It’s unfortunate they collect on the rail and it’s probably easier if they come up the middle because then you get less hard-luck stories... that’s racing, isn’t it?”

Earlier, Gordon Lord Byron screamed through the narrowest of gaps in the final strides to win a thrilling renewal of the Group 1 Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes.

Former Irish apprentice championship runner-up Wayne Lordan rode a daring race aboard Irish handler Tom Hogan’s globetrotting star, threading through the breach between Tropics and Jack Dexter to score by one-and-a-quarter lengths.

Gordon Lord Byron, who is owned by prominent Indian owner/breeder Dr Cyrus Poonawalla and Morgan J. Cahalan, was notching a fourth Group 1 victory following the George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill in Australia (2014), Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock (2013) and Prix de la Foret at Longchamp (2012).

Lordan told Channel 4 Racing: “It was a bit tight, but he accelerated through. When he got to the front he actually slowed down a bit.”

County Tipperary handler Hogan said: “He’s not Breeders’ Cup eligible, but I’m sure a deal could be made with the Breeders’ Cup committee. I’d definitely be interested.

“It is a pleasure to train him. It is the stuff of dreams to have a horse like him — let’s hope it can continue. He’s a wonderful horse. The horse of a lifetime.”

Famous sibling

Meanwhile, Noble Mission emulated his famous sibling Frankel by winning the Group 1 Champion Stakes for Lady Cecil, wife of the late Sir Henry Cecil.

Madame Chiang and Jim Crowley won the Group 1 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes and Dermot Weld’s lightly-raced Forgotten Rules maintained his unbeaten record with victory in the Group 1 British Champions Long Distance Cup.