The Owen Burrows-trained Anmaat returned from a 439-day break to land the Group 3 Rose Of Lancaster Stakes at Haydock Park on Saturday.

Anmaat was unbeaten in three starts in 2022 including a four-length victory in this race but could only be kept sound for two runs in 2023. He started the campaign with a second behind Adayar in the Group 3 Gordon Richard Stakes and recorded a landmark Group 1 success in the Prix d'Ispahan, before suffering a small set back.

Ridden by Jim Crowley, the six-year-old gelding was handy through the ten-and-a-half furlong contest and justified the 8/11 price in good style, always doing enough to beat Certain Lad by a neck, with Regal Reality back in third.

In an interview with Racing TV, Burrows said: "It's been a huge team effort by everybody. I've been pleased with him at home, but whatever he did today he will take a huge step forward from.

"He did that last year, he was second to Adayar at Newmarket and then won his Group One so to see him get his head in front is nice.

"He had to be tough there and Jim said he got a bit tired, which he was entitled to.

"We'll look to step him back up to Group Ones now, he's got one and he's got a few nice entries so if he's fine we'll have a chat and make a plan.

"He's laid-back at home and hard to gauge. He goes through the motions a bit so we took him to Kempton the other week and Jim was very happy as he showed a bit more there. You gauge him through his demeanour, his weight was good which gave me confidence, but there's a nice bit of improvement in him."