RACING/Royal Ascot: From Epsom one week to Ascot the next, merely finishing first no longer seems enough for Aidan O'Brien. Rock Of Gibraltar and Landseer, his runners in the St James's Palace Stakes here yesterday, did not pull quite so far clear of their field as the two he sent to the Derby, but the sense of irresistibility was the same. Another £183,000 was added to the O'Brien account, and it was only the third race on day one.

If there was even the scent of a surprise in the result, it was that Rock Of Gibraltar, who was up to win his fifth Group One race in succession, set off towards Swinley Bottom at something close to a backable price. Odds of 8 to 13 were the best available yesterday morning, but he drifted to touch evens for a moment or two in the minutes before the race, and started at 4 to 5.

Rock Of Gibraltar had done the bookies a huge favour a year ago to the day, when he found trouble in running in the Coventry Stakes and finished only sixth to Landseer. This time, though, the bookies knew they would be paying out soon after the Ascot bell had rung the nine runners into the straight. Landseer and Johnny Murtagh moved up to challenge Dupont for the lead two out, but Rock Of Gibraltar was still cantering for Mick Kinane, and this time nothing was going to get in his way.

Kinane went on at the furlong pole to win by 1¾ lengths, with Landseer a further four lengths clear of Aramram in third. In winning his fifth consecutive Group One, Rock Of Gibraltar equalled the achievement of the O'Brien colt Giant's Causeway, whose own sequence of five started in the St James's Palace Stakes.

Only Mill Reef has won six Group One races in a row since the Pattern was introduced.

Where that next race will be remains undecided, and so too the trip he will tackle. "He might drop back to six furlongs for races like the July Cup, or try some of the big mile and a quarter races," said John Magnier, who owns the colt in partnership with Sir Alex Ferguson. The Sussex Stakes, over a mile at Goodwood in late July, is another obvious possibility.

O'Brien took his day's prize-money total past £200,000 when Statue Of Liberty, the 5 to 2 favourite, won the Coventry Stakes.

Marcus Tregoning had his first Royal Ascot winner when Dominica made all to take the King's Stand Stakes and give Martin Dwyer his first victory at the meeting. Dwyer promptly went on to ride a 254 to 1 double when Zargus got up in the Balmoral Handicap, giving Willie Muir his first Royal Ascot winner - just after Thundering Surf had done the same for fellow trainer John Jenkins in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes.

So many firsts - and for Aidan O'Brien, so many first-and-seconds.