ELIDOR thrilled West Ilsley trainer Mick Channon by returning to Goodwood to land the valuable Summer Stakes – a year after suffering a career-threatening leg injury in the same race.

The six-year-old’s connections feared the worst after he pulled up sharply when finishing fifth in the corresponding mile and six-furlong handicap 12 months ago.

But Channon nursed him back to fitness, and after a couple of disappointing performances, which had left owners Jon and Julia Aisbitt contemplating retiring the gelding, he defied top weight with a neck verdict over Qewy to capture the £62,250 first prize at 16-1 under Silvestre de Sousa.

Channon, who could now aim his charge at the Betfred Ebor at York on August 20, said: “What a smashing horse to train.”

East Ilsley trainer Hughie Morrison was also in the winner’s enclosure at the Sussex track after Star Rider allayed her handler’s fears about the fast ground by taking the Matchbook Betting Exchange Goodwood Stakes.

Blewbury trainer Eve Johnson Houghton’s sparkling season hit new heights with her first across-the-card treble – at incredible odds of 13,565-1.

Coarse Cut (20-1) kick-started the Woodway stables’ amazing Monday hat-trick by landing the closing mile-and-a-half handicap at Kempton.

Johnson Houghton then moved on to Windsor’s evening meeting where Bahamadam (33-1) made a winning debut in a six-furlong maiden fillies’ stakes, before Goring (18-1) stormed home to take a six-furlong handicap.

Wantage-based jockey Cathy Gannon admitted to be “absolutely gutted” after revealing she would miss next Saturday’s Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot for the second successive year through injury.

Gannon, who broke all five of her toes on her left foot in a stalls incident at Lingfield in May, had hoped to return to ride for the Girls’ team, but now faces up to another two months on the sidelines.