Westerner, the 7-4 favourite trained in France and ridden by Olivier Peslier, won the Ascot Gold Cup run at York on Thursday. Westerner collared 33-1 outsider Distinction, the mount of Johnny Murtagh, in the closing stages of the two-and-a-half-mile (4 km) marathon to win by a neck. Third place in the 17-strong field, a further five lengths away, went to Irish raider Vinnie Roe (9-2), ridden by Pat Smullen.
Last year's winner Papineau, racing for the Godolphin team of Sheikh Mohammed, finished unplaced.