Tom Queally celebrates the Group One victory for Twice Over

Last year's runner-up Twice Over made up for defeat to New Approach 12 months ago to claim victory in the Champion Stakes at Newmarket.

Henry Cecil's charge went off at 14-1 under Tom Queally as pacemaker Set Sail went away from the rest of the field.

But once Set Sail started to tire, Twice Over seized the lead and went a couple of lengths clear.

Although Mawatheeq and the fast-finishing Sariksa challenged, Twice Over went on to win by half a length.

Queally was delighted that Twice Over had earned Group One success.

"This horse deserves it, he's had so many near-misses," he said.

606: DEBATE Well done Twice Over who won well over his best trip, but there were many tired, disappointing performances Tamerlo

"Thankfully the race went well, I got a nice run through. We got his confidence right back up in the last couple of runs and it paid off.

"Henry could see it in his work on a morning and he was bullish coming into the race. I knew he was a big price and an outsider but Henry could see something nobody else could."

Cecil, celebrating his third win in the race, admitted he had concerns beforehand.

"I was worried about the ground because the softer the better for him," he said.

"It's great for (owner) Prince Khalid Abdullah because he has been a great supporter of mine and I want to thank him so much.

"We all need a confidence boost now and again. It doesn't matter how good they are, they have to enjoy themselves and want to do it."

Earlier, Beethoven from the Aidan O'Brien yard caused a surprise with success in the Dewhurst Stakes the race that traditionally crowns the top two-year-old of the season.

The 33-1 chance was unfancied by punters after Johnny Murtagh chose stable companion Steinbeck, but with Ryan Moore on board he finished with a flourish alongside another Ballydoyle challenger Fencing Master.

Aidan O'Brien claimed his second Jumeirah Dewhurst Stakes as 33-1 outsider

Beethoven was buried deep in the pack as Steinbeck forged an early lead. But he was fully wound up and charged away meeting the rising ground in a first-time visor to win by a neck.

Clive Cox's Glorious Goodwood winner Xtension was a nose adrift in third, with Steinbeck a neck back in fourth.

He is so progressive and is a possible for the Breeders' Cup Aidan O'Brien on Dewhurst winner Beethoven

Coral and Ladbrokes introduced the winner into the Stanjames.com 2000 Guineas market at 20-1, with the latter leaving Arcano unchanged at the head of the market at 10-1 alongside Canford Cliffs.

William Hill were less impressed and go 25-1, with Fencing Master at 20s.

O'Brien said: "It is great to be in this position. He's progressing all the time and had been getting better with every run.

"My son Joseph rode him the other day and said there was plenty in there and to put a visor on him to maybe sharpen him up a little bit, so that's what we did. He is so progressive and is a possible for the Breeders' Cup."

Finally, on a busy day at Newmarket, Darley Sun defied statistics to run away with the valuable Cesarewitch handicap.

Representing the three-year-old division, who have a lamentable record in the marathon contest, David Simcock's youngster looked thrown in at the weights beforehand and that was just how it turned out.

Despite facing a wall of horses at halfway, three-pound claimer Andrea Atzeni weaved his way through on the 9-2 favourite and the pair bounded clear to beat Mamlook, Sereth, Dayia and Ajaan.

Champion Stakes (Newmarket)
1. Twice Over (T P Queally) 14-1
2. Mawatheeq (R Hills) 7-1
3. Sariska (K Fallon) 8-1
14 ran

Dewhurst Stakes (Newmarket)
1. Beethoven (R L Moore) 33-1
2. Fencing Master (C O'Donoghue) 20-1
3. Xtension (A Kirby) 6-1
15 ran

Cesarewitch (Newmarket)
1. Darley Sun (A Atzeni) 9-2 fav
2. Mamlock (R Hughes) 14-1
3. Sereth (J Murtagh) 16-1
4. Dayi (S Golam) 16-1
32 ran

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