Royal Commando pounced late to win the Unibet Cammidge Trophy Stakes at Doncaster

Charlie Hills’ four-year-old sprinter was held up by jockey Kieran Shoemark, behind the pace set by Just Frank, until challenging inside the final furlong and then seeing off runner-up Emaraaty Ana.

Royal Commando, who won by a length and three-quarters at 15-2, was fourth at a massive price in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot before failing to add to his solitary previous victory on Town Moor as a two-year-old.

His return to winning form at this Listed level was convincing, however. Evergreen Brando was a head behind Emaraaty Ana in third.

Shoemark said: “He had a busy campaign at the end of last year and it’s credit to Charlie and his team that he was spot on today.

“He runs in and out of form a bit. Obviously he was fourth in the Commonwealth Cup, but lost his form. He just seems a happy horse at the moment.

“We went a pretty hard gallop, but I was always quite confident. I hit a little flat spot between the four and the three poles, but then he came good for me.

“He was game and made my job easy, he even had a bit of a look around.”

He added: “On today I wouldn’t shy away from seven furlongs, but when we went clear he began looking around so I’ll leave it up to Charlie.”