James McDonald has added another Royal Ascot triumph to his resume, steering Crimson Advocate to victory in the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes.

The win comes two years after Crimson Advocate won the Queen Mary Stakes and marks a successful return to the carnival after a tougher 2023 campaign.

Now a four-year-old, the mare had impressed in lead-ups at Kempton and Goodwood, but faced a new challenge over the stiff mile.

“Coming into it, the questions were whether she would relax well enough and if she ran a stiff mile, but she ticked all those boxes,” McDonald said.

“She relaxed and gave me a beautiful ride… the further the race went, the more she actually gave me.”

When William Buick pushed the favourite Cinderella’s Dream at the 300m mark, Crimson Advocate responded sharply, showing the same speed that once won her a five-furlong race.

McDonald, who previously won the King’s Stand Stakes aboard Nature Strip, said, “Royal Ascot is the most amazing carnival… it’s just a special place to be part of.”