RACING:OWNER KHALID Abdullah found the most spectacular way to end a wait to win a race he has sponsored for more than 20 years as Twice Over beat his own Midday in a gripping conclusion to the Juddmonte International Stakes at York yesterday.

This has been a season in which Abdullah and trainer Henry Cecil have shared moment after moment of joy with the exceptional Frankel. The only change to the now-established scene was that jockey Ian Mongan could enjoy a slice of the glory instead of Tom Queally.

For Cecil had selected Queally to partner the mare Midday, who became a six-time Group One winner in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood, giving Mongan a golden opportunity on Twice Over.

Underrated in the betting and perhaps similarly during a career which has spanned five years and yielded an Eclipse and two Champion Stakes, Twice Over (11 to 2) was third in the market behind his stablemate and Aidan O’Brien’s red-hot 8 to 13 favourite Await The Dawn.

As good as Await The Dawn had looked in the Hardwicke at Royal Ascot, this was his first test at the highest level and he was unable to sustain his challenge much beyond the two-furlong pole.

With O’Brien’s pacemaker Windsor Palace fading at that point, Queally made the first advance, but Midday began to edge left for security on the far rail, while Mongan managed a truer line down the centre.

It became apparent with a furlong to run that Twice Over could catch him and he gained steadily to win by three-quarters of a length, inflicting upon Midday nearly as agonising a defeat as the winner had experienced to Rip Van Winkle on the Knavesmire 12 months earlier.

Mongan, who was a shade unfashionable before Cecil recognised him as his stable’s second jockey, said: “He’s a true champion, this horse, and really stuck his neck out.”

Await The Dawn finished five lengths behind and O’Brien reflected: “I don’t want to take anything away from the other two, but it has been a while since he ran at Ascot and maybe I should have given him another run or a racecourse gallop. America (Breeders’ Cup Classic) is still the long-term plan and we’ll try and find something in between.”

Sea Moon is hot favourite for the Ladbrokes St Leger after winning the sportingbet.com Great Voltigeur Stakes in great style.

Michael Stoute’s charge is a 6 to 4 shot with the sponsors after he took the most important trial for the Doncaster Classic by eight lengths from Al Kazeem to set up a big-race double for Abdullah.

The 5 to 6 favourite Seville was 2¼ lenghts back in third.