MARK Johnston’s annual pilgrimage to Glorious Goodwood had started to become a disappointing one by his usual standards until Sea Lord came to the rescue in the totesport Mile.

Crowned the top trainer at the meeting seven times already, Middleham-based Johnston had drawn a blank for the first two afternoons and had struck for the first time through Eastern Aria on Thursday.

Sea Lord, an admirable front-runner, would not have remained in handicap company after four successes in the sphere this season already but for the £150,000 bounty on offer, and he is still declared for a Listed race today.

Sea Lord has had a variety of jockeys along the way and this time it was Royston Ffrench who helped the 6-1 shot to a three-quarter length defeat of the Royal Hunt Cup winner Invisible Man.

‘‘Really this horse should be out of handicaps and we did look at the Listed race, but the lure of the prizemoney persuaded us to go for this,’’ said Johnston.

‘‘You earn more in the big handicaps than you do in Group races.

‘‘It’s a big ask for him to run again tomorrow, but if he comes out of this particularly well, it’s still a possibility.

We’ve got a bit of thinking to do.’’ Saeed bin Suroor will scan races at the York Ebor meeting for Invisible Man.

Johnston has been usurped by Richard Hannon at this year’s meeting and, just as he did at the Newmarket July Festival, the Wiltshire master completed a clean-sweep of the three juvenile Group races in the Tanqueray Richmond Stakes.

Libranno had been one of those on the mark in Cambridgeshire three weeks ago and the 5-4 favourite never looked likely to succumb to the challenge of The Paddyman as he followed hot on the heels of Zebedee and King Torus earlier in the week.

Pilot Richard Hughes said: ‘‘I was trying to get him to relax and get him breathing early on, as for nearly a minute I couldn’t feel his belly going.

‘‘He jumped extremely fast and I let him go to the front, but in the last two furlongs he was gawping at everything.

‘‘I think he kills horses off halfway through the race with his speed and then just grinds it out at the finish.’’ Hannon added: ‘‘Strong Suit is still our best two-yearold, but this is a very good horse too.

‘‘I don’t really know what we’re going to do with him now. It’s up to the owner really, but he wouldn’t want much further than six furlongs unless we can teach him to race in a different way.’’ Redwood (7-1) was rewarded for some valiant efforts in the Coutts Glorious Stakes.

Barry Hills’ colt had finished a fair way behind the 5- 4 favourite Duncan when they were both brushed off by Harbinger at Royal Ascot, but Redwood’s latest second at Newmarket was more encouraging.

He swooped under the trainer’s son, Michael, to steal the hot-looking Group Three from under the nose of Sri Putra.

‘‘He was my 300th Newmarket winner and now my 50th at Glorious Goodwood,’’ said Hills Snr.

‘‘I’ll have to discuss the plan with (owner) Prince Khalid Abdullah, but there are races like the Canadian International and a race in Turkey, and they are keen to run in America.”

Thirsk’s Dandy Nicholls provided the first two in the six-furlong Rolf Group Stewards’ Sprint Handicap, with Joseph Henry (28-1) and Victoire De Lyphar split by just a head. The winner was partnered by David Probert and Nicholls said: ‘‘I think it’s the first time I’ve even spoken to David but if he’s good enough to ride for Andrew Balding, he’s good enough for me.”