In the most dramatic circumstances Kayf Tara entered the record books as the first horse to regain the Gold Cup when getting up to beat Far Cry by a head at Royal Ascot yesterday.

After greeting their charge into the spot reserved for the winner, connections - who do not even consider the winner a true two-and-a-half-mile horse - had to endure a nerve-wracking 20 minutes wait while stewards looked into an incident approaching the final furlong when Kayf Tara drifted across the track interfering with eventual fourth San Sebastian.

The officials also looked at the possibility that the Godolphin horse had also brushed up against the runner-up in the shadow of the post.

The roar that greeted the announcement that the positions would remain unchanged confirmed the relief not only of Sheikh Mohammed and his entourage but of the punters who ensured Kayf Tara was sent off the 11 to 8 favourite for the historic event.

It was no more than Kayf Tara deserved after the Sadler's Wells entire looked as if he might never race again following a suspensory ligament injury received on the eve of last year's Melbourne Cup.

However, the tender loving care he received from connections throughout the winter proved just what the doctor ordered as the six-year-old joined the greats of the staying game with multiple successes in this true test of stamina.

Winning jockey Michael Kinane stated that he thought his mount would keep the race. "You're always worried when interference happens but I never felt he would lose the race," he said.

"They'd gone a nice gallop but he but he just lost his balance and fell in a bit.

"In the first incident, we made contact and my horse seemed to lose his balance a bit and I didn't think there was any interference in the second incident."

Martin Pipe, trainer of the runner-up, admitted that he thought the winner would keep the race. "I don't think we'll get it," he said. "I think he's run a real blinder. The other horse brushed him a little bit but it was not too bad."

Trainer Richard Fahey celebrated his first success at Royal Ascot as Superior Premium shot down the big guns in the Cork And Orrery Stakes.

The Yorkshire raider, 20 to 1, produced a powerful late surge under Johnny Murtagh to defeat the Godolphin pair Sampower Star and Lend A Hand.

"I can't believe it - I thought he might be in the first three but I never thought he would beat Lend A Hand," said Fahey.

"This horse has run well at Ascot and he's only just come right in the last week."

Murtagh, registering his third win at the meeting, had been called up to ride Superior Premium only a few days ago.

He said: "I look at the winners' board and see names like Kieren Fallon and Mick Kinane on there, and then I see the name of J Murtagh up there as well - it's a good feeling."

Amethyst can complete a rare double for Aidan O'Brien and Michael Kinane with victory in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot today. Her stable-companion Giant's Causeway won the Group One St James's Palace Stakes on the opening day of the Royal meeting. And Amethyst has a fine chance of landing the fillies' equivalent event - to land a clean sweep of the big three-yearold mile races last achieved by Henry Cecil and Steve Cauthen with Shavian and Chimes Of Freedom in 1990.