Day three of York’s Dante meeting was rounded off with a royal winner, as Dartmouth got up in a pulsating finish to seal the Group 2 Betway Yorkshire Cup.

Sent off favourite, the five-year-old was taken back into third by Ryan Moore as outsider High Jinx set off in a clear lead looking to make it a good test.

Swinging into the straight, the field closed to within a length of the leader with Hughie Morrison’s Marmelo and Godolphin’s Endless Time looking threatening either side.

Into the final two furlongs, former St Leger winner Simple Verse made her challenge towards the far-side while Moore switched his mount to the stands side although a few lengths down.

With five runners spread across the track inside the final half-furlong nobody could call the outcome. Dartmouth came with a surge in the run to the line and just got up to win by two necks.

For Moore, his fine recent record in the one mile and six furlong feature is enhanced further. All four successes which started with Ask in 2009 have come for Newmaret maestro Stoute.

“He’s a nice horse, he handles most things,” reflected Moore. “He always gives his best, I mean that’s his fourth Group win now and he’s rock solid.”

A son of Dubawi, Dartmouth registers his first victory since the Hardwicke Stakes last summer. Although at the end of the year he was good runner-up in the Grade 1 Canadian International.

He always gives his best

John Warren, Her Majesty’s racing advisor, said: “I didn’t think he was going to get there because they were so wide.

“Ryan had this plan to come this side, so he knew what he was doing, but I don’t think he anticipated they were going to be so far away widthwise as they were.

“I’d say it will be the Hardwicke and then we might try and find out if he is a Cup horse.”