Raydiance shines brightest in Pat Eddery Stakes

Raydiance (7-1) just edged out Another Batt in an attritional battle for the Wooldridge Group Pat Eddery Stakes at Ascot.

The seven furlongs on soft ground took some getting in the Listed contest and it was the Karl Burke-trained son of Mayson who prevailed from George Scott's charge by a neck under champion jockey Jim Crowley.

Alba Power was third, while the 7-4 favourite Tigre Du Terre could never mount a serious challenge in the rain-softened conditions.

Burke said: "The ground is a must for him in that class. When he won on good to soft at Haydock, PJ (McDonald, jockey) said that is as fast as he wants it.

"They don't give you a handicap mark after two runs unless you win two so we had to come for another novice, or I said to the lads we will throw him in the deep end and see what we get.

"I said two things to Jim going out - what he lacks in class he more than makes up for because he loves the ground and is as hard as nails. Whatever slap he got he would stick his head out and he showed that today.

"Ground will be key to him. That was the plan today. We will get him home and go from there. I wouldn't be afraid of throwing him in Group class on soft ground like France or somewhere."