ROYAL Ascot, the most impressive Flat racing festival in the world, burst into life on Tuesday and the local runners have run with great credit so far.

As per usual, Mark Johnston wasted little time getting off the mark as Buratino was an impressive winner of the Coventry Stakes.

A wide-margin winner of the Woodcote Stakes at Epsom on Derby day just 10 days earlier, Buratino travelled smoothly throughout under William Buick and drew alongside stablemates Ode To Evening and Beaverbrook still going strongly approaching the furlong pole.

Air Force Blue and Ryan Moore emerged to throw down a challenge to the winner from that point, but the 6-1 chance was not for catching and went right away close home to score.

Air Force Blue kept on for a clear second place, with Eltezam, who had been to the fore from the start, keeping on for third place ahead of the Johnston pair.

Well-backed favourite Round Two had every chance two furlongs out, but found little when coming under pressure.

"We got an interrupted run behind horses that were going forwards and we were able to pick and choose our path," said Buick. "He's won very well – he's one of the best two-year-olds around.

"I see no reason why he shouldn't improve further or stay seven furlongs, but we'll take it one step at a time. I've just watched the replay and it seems like the field were pretty strung out, so I'd say it was a good performance."

Johnston, saddling his 38th winner at Royal Ascot, added: "I kept my feet on the ground with him. You just had to look at the bare form. He got beat at Ascot and again at Sandown, but stepping him up in trip has obviously been the key.

"William has now ridden him three times and the horse has got better in his estimation and given him a better feel.

"William told Sheikh Mohammed he wouldn't be frightened to run him over seven furlongs later in the year.

"We'll discuss where to go next. He's a different horse now.

"When he won on the first day of the season, Simon Crisford (former Godolphin racing manager) said 'put him away for Ascot', but I think they need experience and when Attraction won the Queen Mary, she'd run a few times.

"When you go to Ascot, you need experience under your belt."

Although he finished second in the Queen Mary on Wednesday, Michael Dods will have been delighted with his horse, Easton Angel.

The future looks bright for her and the trainer said: "We have the best two-year-old in England, but nobody likes finishing second. It was a great run and we're delighted, but we'd have preferred to win.

"She's run her heart out and Paul (Mulrennan) said if she'd been drawn closer to the winner, he thinks he'd have given her a race because she was isolated in stall one.

"You wouldn't think she'd had a race, she's so laid back. We're delighted to have her and there are big races in her.

"Paul said she'll get six furlongs easy, but we'll sit down and come up with a plan."

Dods feels Easton Angel could be well-weighted for the Weatherbys Super Sprint.

"She's in the Super Sprint, she's in sales races at York and Doncaster," he said. "I think a bit easier ground would suit this filly, she got away with it today. The ground is quick and she's run her heart out.

"This is the first real race she's had. She didn't have one at Musselburgh and Beverley. She had to knuckle down today, but she's been beaten by a serious racehorse."

A milestone was reached by Frankie Dettori in the last race on Wednesday as he celebrated a 50th Royal Ascot winner with a last-gasp success aboard Osaila in the Sandringham Handicap.

In what has already been a season to savour for the 44-year-old, having won the Derby aboard Golden Horn before following up just over a week later with Star Of Seville in the French Oaks, the popular Italian again confirmed he is riding at the peak of his powers with a narrow win in the colours of his boss, Sheikh Joaan Al Thani.

The triumph for Dettori comes 15 years after his first taste of victory at the meeting aboard Markofdistinction in the Queen Anne Stakes, and sees him join Lester Piggott (116), Pat Eddery (73) and Willie Carson (56) as those to ride 50 or more Royal Ascot winners.