Andrew Balding is eyeing G1 targets for Blue Bolt (5/2F) after the Juddmonte filly put away a competitive field in the G2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes.

Colin Keane was able to secure a midfield position from a wide draw, which meant the daughter of Blue Point was ideally placed as the 15 runners turned into the home straight.

Blue Bolt challenged approaching the final furlong and never looked in any danger as she went away to win by almost two lengths. Irish raider Jancis (16/1) was second, with Friendly Soul (7/2) staying on strongly for third after being hampered.

Runner-up in the G1 Sun Chariot Stakes last season, Blue Bolt warmed up for Royal Ascot with a Listed success at Goodwood last month.

Balding said: “Bar Blue Bolt’s first run at Southwell – I don’t know what happened there – she has never run a bad race. We have had this in mind for a while, and it’s lovely when it comes together. The aim would be a Group One, probably the Falmouth. She’s been placed at that level before and deserves another crack at it.

“She is a star. She is relaxing better this year, which is helpful. Colin Keane gave her a brilliant ride – it’s not an easy draw, but he was decisive and got her into position. We know she gets a mile, so she’ll likely stick at that distance for the time being.”

Keane said: “Blue Bolt was a progressive filly last year and had a lovely comeback run earlier this season, so we came here hopeful. I was as confident as you can be – it’s Royal Ascot and Mr Gosden’s filly is a Group One winner – but we felt our filly was still progressing.

“Blue Bolt is very uncomplicated. I think she’s heading in a Group One direction. She has improved with age and experience, and I hope she can continue progressing that way. I am very lucky to be riding in these colours and even luckier to be riding winners in them here.”

Willie McCreery, trainer of Jancis, said: “She has done herself proud. She loves this fast ground – it cannot go fast enough for her. She kept galloping to the end there. A good filly beat us, but we will take her on again. We will be all Group 1s from here on and hopefully get the fast ground.

“That is the first time Sean has gone down the inside with her. He was delighted – delighted by the way she travelled and delighted with the way she quickened. He thought he had the measure a furlong down, but the filly just kept quickening in front.”

Sean Levey added: “Jancis is improving all the time. I thought I’d pitch her up a little bit closer today, albeit from a wide draw. With so many horses drawn wide compressing from the outside, there was space on the inside and I didn’t want to take her back, so I let her use that space – she needs it.

“Luckily, she was travelling so well that when I turned in that I was able to switch her back to the outside, got on the heels of the winner and thought I had him. Then I saw Colin quicken and knew he had more in the tank. We ran solid.”

John Gosden said of Friendly Soul: “She was in the gate a long time. She came out and got caught on both sides in a sandwich, which knocked her back. It is impossible to win from that position. She made a great run up the rail but could not quite get through. She then got through late and ran on to be third. She ran a superb race and finished like a train. I am very happy with the filly.”

Her rider Oisin Murphy added: “It was a very messy race. Friendly Soul got knocked over at the start and I was too far back.”

3.40pm Duke Of Cambridge Stakes (Group 2)

1 Blue Bolt (Juddmonte) Andrew Balding 4-9-02 Colin Keane 5/2F

2 Jancis (Arturo Cousino) Willie McCreery IRE 5-9-05 Sean Levey 16/1

3 Friendly Soul (George Strawbridge) John & Thady Gosden 5-9-02 Oisin Murphy 7/2

15 ran 

Andrew Balding – 16th Royal Ascot winner

Colin Keane – 4th Royal Ascot winner