Saeed bin Suroor proved he was more than capable of delivering on the big stage when Arabian Story kept on in determined fashion to win the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot.

A winner of a mile maiden at Chelmsford following two outings on the dirt in Meydan, the Godolphin-owned four-year-old was a 15/2 chance to make a winning handicap debut in a typically red-hot-looking Britannia Stakes.

With Oisin Murphy in the saddle, Arabian Story found plenty in the final 50 yards to fend off the thrusting La Botte, who suffered a troubled passage under Jamie Spencer, by a neck.

Bin Suroor said: "We had Arabian Story in Dubai and physically he improved a lot there. We gave him a race at Chelmsford, and he pleased me. We thought, okay, let's go to Royal Ascot.

"I talked to Oisin and said this horse is a mile-and-a-quarter horse but, over the mile, you have to be handy with him. He gave him a good ride. Oisin is the best jockey in the world.

"Arabian Story is still improving. We will find a race for him now, maybe a Group race. I talked to Oisin after the race, and he said to me that the horse is Group class.

"I used to have 150 horses in Dubai, and quality, but now we have 30 horses in the stable. The young ones are still backward but we are still trying hard. We try the best with what we have."

"He is quite lazy, but he was very good at Chelmsford," added Murphy. "He got a little bit of experience in Dubai on the dirt, which he didn't enjoy but made him tough. I was delighted with his attitude today.

"He will be a Group 3 horse going a mile and a quarter. He was the first one off the bridle, and it's very hard to win at Ascot on the straight course when that happens, so he's got a fair level of ability. It is lovely to win one for Saeed."