Washington DC provided Ryan Moore with his third winner on the opening day of Royal Ascot in a pulsating Windsor Castle Stakes.

Having already struck gold aboard the brilliant Gleneagles in the St James’s Palace Stakes and Clondaw Warrior in the Ascot Stakes, Moore’s final mount of the afternoon was well fancied at 5-1 after winning once at Tipperary and finishing second on his other two starts for Aidan O’Brien.

American challenger Ruby Notion set a blistering early pace, but Washington DC swept by her in the last of five furlongs and just had enough in the tank to hold off the fast-finishing Areen by a head.

Steady Pace, the 4-1 favourite, was third.

Moore said: “I’m delighted with him, he’s a very fast colt.

“We probably could have gone with the American horse if I’d let him, but I wanted a lead for a bit longer.

“He had a little look around when he was left in front, but I’d say there’s plenty more to come.

“He’s got an awful lot of pace. He’d probably get six, but at this stage there’s no real need.”

O’Brien said: “He’s very fast, he travelled well and he quickened well.

“Ryan gave him a lovely ride. He’s all speed.

“When he won at Tipperary if you’d seen him you’d know he had to be very good to do that and even though he got beaten at the Curragh (by Round Two) we were pleased with him.

“I couldn’t imagine he’ll stretch out that far, he’s very fast.”