West Ilsley trainer Denis Coakley was thrilled after Gabriel’s Lad gave him one of his biggest victories by capturing the £7.5 Million Totescoop6 Victoria Cup at Ascot on Saturday.

George Baker’s mount swept through to claim the prestigious seven-furlong handicap – which carried a first prize of £62,250 – at odds of 12-1 by two and a quarter lengths from Glen Moss.

And Coakley expects his charge to take even higher order as the season progresses.

He said: “Thing went right for him today and he’s plenty good enough when things go his way.

“Because things went wrong early in the year with him, I thought we’d have gone above this by now. He’s a nice horse.

“I don’t know where we will go, we were just getting this out of the way and then we’ll see how we go.”

Eve Johnson Houghton’s Blewbury stables, near Didcot, were also among the winners at Ascot when Amulet made all the running to take the Sodexho Fillies’ Handicap for trainer Eve Johnson Houghton.

Backed down from 14-1 to 15-2, the four-year-old filly blazed a trail in the mile contest under Shane Kelly, before holding off Ribbons by a neck.

Amulet was bouncing back to form after failing to shine at Goodwood last time out.

Johnson Houghton said: “For some reason she just sulked and didn’t show her running.”

Coakley’s West Ilsley neighbour, Mick Channon, also struck at the Berkshire venue with Moonraker.

The two-year-old battled on well to make a winning debut in the five-furlong maiden stakes under Willy Twiston-Davies.