HENRY Candy ended a 37-year wait for a Royal Ascot winner when Twilight Son lifted the Diamond Jubilee Stakes on Saturday, writes Mark Edwards.

The Wantage handler admitted he nearly withdrew the four-year-old in the build-up to the race, but was relieved he stuck to his guns with his charge winning more than £340,000.

It made it six wins from just eight starts for the son of Kyllachy and for Candy a third winner at the meeting after Kambalda won the Ascot Stakes in 1974 and Pipedreamer triumphed in the 1979 Royal Hunt Cup.

The 7-2 chance, with one late lunge, put his head in front and denied Gold-Fun by a neck as Candy’s barren run of just three winners since the turn of the year came to an end.

The delighted trainer commented: “I never come here thinking I’m going to have a winner. We’ve been close a few times and it’s marvellous to get the job done finally.”

Of his stuttering start to the season, he added: “They were all getting to the furlong pole and not getting any further.

“It’s fantastic, as it is the place everybody wants to be winning at.”

Candy’s stable stars Twilight Son and Limato could clash in next month’s Darley July Cup at Newmarket.

Candy admitted he had his doubts about running in the Group One event and feels the Twilight Son can make plenty of progress for the Ascot outing.