Causeway extended his winning streak to five after getting the better of Ancient Egypt (10/1) in a protracted battle for the King Edward VII Stakes.

Always well placed under Ryan Moore, the even-money favourite dug deep in the 12-furlong contest to overhaul the brave runner-up, with just a neck separating them at the line. They pulled 10 lengths clear of Water To Wine (13/8) in third.

Tained by Aidan O’Brien, Causeway had won a maiden, handicap, Listed race, and G3 before today.

O’Brien said: “We stepped Causeway up from a mile to a mile and a quarter, and now to a mile and a half. He is very lazy, so it is hard to know what is in there. Ryan said that he was toying with him and that, when he gets there, he is lazy.

“Ryan is an incredible rider. What can I say? He is so professional, so talented, so brilliant and so consistent, and he does not take anything for granted. He is always wanting to learn, he wants to make himself better, he is never complacent in any way and he gets us. He is an unbelievable man. We are so delighted and grateful that he is there for us when we want him.”

Moore said: “Causeway was just doing what he hard to do. I was just keeping him going to keep him interested. I didn’t really want to be where I was. Every time I asked him, he just kept finding, when I asked for a little more, he gave me a little bit more; he’s just done enough. There is more in the tank I hope.”

Ancient Egypt’s trainer Charlie Johnston said: “I guess first and foremost I feel great pride in the horse. We knew it was a big ask to turn around so quickly after the Derby, particularly given the fact that race was run in such testing conditions. I will be honest, for the first week I was trying to think how do I tell Kia I do not want to run here. Thankfully the signs in the past few days have been that we should be here.

“I am gutted for Kia [Joorabchian], he puts so much into this game, he wants one here and we came very close. David [Egan] said he did everything right. Before they turned in, I thought he came off it a bit and was concerned whether he was going to run his true race, but then you start looking at everyone else. I thought William was in trouble, Clifford was clearly in trouble, there was always going to be one that came and loomed. You kind of knew, the way the week has gone, there was going to be an O’Brien to test our mettle. I thought he was going to fight him off briefly and he gave everything he could. The horse has proved that he belongs at this sort of level. There is a huge amount to be excited about for the rest of this year and next year.”

John Gosden said of Water To Wine: “The ground was a bit quick. He is a big unit, 17hh, and he found the ground a little bit lively for him. He is still learning. He has obviously run in a maiden and a novice. He would be a lovely horse in the making. I liked the way he got organised finally in the straight and ran on to be third. It is all education for him. William said he still feels incredibly mentally immature. He is still a work in progress. I look forward to seeing him on good ground, even in the autumn on good to soft, that kind of thing. I think we will see the best of him then.”

5.35pm King Edward VII Stakes (Group 2)

1 Causeway (Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier) Aidan O’Brien 3-9-02 Ryan Moore EvsF

2 Ancient Egypt (Amo Racing Limited) Charlie Johnston 3-9-02 David Egan 10/1

3 Water To Wine (George Strawbridge) John & Thady Gosden 3-9-02 William Buick 13/8

5 ran   

Aidan O’Brien – 102nd Royal Ascot winner

Ryan Moore – 98th Royal Ascot winner