SIXTIES ICON booked his ticket to the Breeders’ Cup for a crack at the new marathon race with victory in the Grosvenor Casinos Cumberland Lodge Stakes at Ascot.

The 2006 St Leger winner has looked back to his best this year after a truncated campaign last summer.

But supporters of the 11-10 favourite were given a momentary shock when he stood still as the gates opened.

Frankie Dettori’s mount was soon on his way, though, and enjoyed a dream passage through his rivals as a gap opened inside the final two furlongs.

Jeremy Noseda’s five-year-old then stretched away for a more-than-comfortable success.

Dettori said: “He’s never missed the break before, but he’s an older horse and is quite clever about the game.

“The stalls opened and he froze but eventually came out and it was a good effort because he was giving five lengths and 3lb to the field.

“He showed a tremendous turn of foot and there’s a ticket open for America now.”

Owner Paul Roy added: “Jeremy is keen to go to the Breeders’ Cup and he’ll then have one more run in either Hong Kong or Singapore, after which he will be retired.

“I have almost completed a deal on his stud career.”

Liam Jones and Stewards’ Cup runner-up King’s Apostle (12-1) enjoyed the biggest wins of their careers with a neck victory over Dettori and Diabolical in the Group Two John Guest Diadem Stakes.

Trainer William Haggas’ wife, Maureen, said: “That is Liam’s biggest win and it is great for him and the horse.

“The first-time visor has really sharpened him up and he has hardly ran a bad race all year. He ran a cracking race here in the Wokingham and the Stewards’ Cup.

“He was going to race in Singapore at the end of last year but we kept him here to get some black type and he’s rewarded us.”