BORDERLESCOTT teed up his defence of the Nunthorpe Stakes with a characteristically tenacious victory at Glorious Goodwood.

It would not be overstepping the mark to describe the eight-year-old as the most popular horse in training, as his enduring appeal has been built from his time served as an honest handicapper, while understated trainer Robin Bastiman has repeatedly shown Group One races can be won by smaller operations.

Stand-in jockey Kieren Fallon delivered Borderlescott to a thrilling half-length defeat of Group Therapy in the Audi King George Stakes and he now heads to York, where he will bid to land the Nunthorpe for the third year in a row.

The 9-2 favourite was a close third to Equiano at Royal Ascot and the pair are set for a rematch on the Knavesmire.

Bastiman beamed: ‘‘He’s just an unbelievable horse.

You wouldn’t know he was a Group horse at home, but he’s put a few more horses into our yard. Just a few, though, and we haven’t quite been firing of late.

‘‘He’s just getting a bit older and taking a bit longer to wind up, but once he gets wound up he goes.”

Mark Johnston sets up his stall from North Yorkshire all week and expects to come away with winners but he had to wait until day three and the Moet Hennessy Fillies’ Stakes (better known as the Lillie Langtry).

His Eastern Aria (16-1) won a handicap at the meeting last season off a mark of 88 before rounding off with fourth in the EP Taylor Stakes in Canada.

She had taken a while to return to form, but bounded right away under Richard Hills.

‘‘I’ve run a lot of my big guns in the handicaps and it’s a nice surprise to get my first winner in a Group race instead,’’ reflected Johnston.

Course specialist Illustrious Blue (8-1) secured a popular win in the Artemis Goodwood Cup – but the race was marred when odds-on favourite Age Of Aquarius broke down.

Thirsk’s Dandy Nicholls’ Hamoody (14-1) won the fivefurlong RUK Leading Jockey Award Handicap and is entered again today.