TOORMORE dug deep for jockey James Doyle to deservedly get off the mark for the campaign in the Qatar Lennox Stakes at Goodwood.

The four-year-old, trained by Wiltshire handler Richard Hannon, ran a fantastic race on his seasonal reappearance when touched off by stable companion Night Of Thunder in the Lockinge at Newbury and ran with credit once more when fourth in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Carrying the colours of Godolphin for the first time after being sold by Middleham Park Racing, Toormore was the 9-4 joint-favourite down in trip and class on the Sussex Downs but was all heart and came home three-quarters of a length clear.

Doyle said: "It was his first run for us (Godolphin) and he's a solid horse. He's shown that again today.

"Seven furlongs is definitely the minimum for him and I just let him use his stride and he relaxed in front.

"He ground it out nicely and it's nice for him to get his head in front.

"He gets a mile and Hughesie (Richard Hughes) said he'd often thought he'd get a little bit further.

"He's battle-hardened, they were all coming at him, but he kept pulling a bit out."

Hannon, based at Everleigh and Herridge near Marlborough, was delighted to see Toormore gain his first victory since landing the Craven Stakes at Newmarket in April of last year.

"He did it the hard way. He was in front, they came to him one by one, and he proved his class," said the champion trainer.

"I think he wants a mile now. It's just lovely to see him win a race as he'd been second in so many nice races and run so many good ones. He could easily have chucked it in and thought 'I've done my bit now'.

"He was champion two-year-old and he needed that and we needed to see that so we could go up to the next level. He's chosen the right day to do it, with a lot of prize-money on offer.

"He's always been a very pleasing horse to have at home, he's a lovely-moving horse with a lovely attitude and a pleasure to have around.

"Those horses are hard to find, so it's great he's got his head in front and now that he's done that and got his confidence, he might go for the Jacques le Marois."