Frankie Dettori was the prince of Newmarket yesterday after landing the feature race, the Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes, on Nathra for champion trainer John Gosden.

Dettori was always in control in the seven-furlong group 3 for three-year-old fillies and steered the 5/4 well-backed favourite home to the delight of the punters braving a heavy downpour.

It was a special win for Dettori who recorded his sixth victory in the race and a hat-trick after a 2014 win on Sandiva and last year’s win on Osaila.

The rain was head on into the fillies with Dettori settling Nathra midfield. He pushed her level at the front with Only Mine two furlongs out and then moved clear. Dettori was never threatened as 33/1 outsider Squash ran on for second with Robanne third in ground whose going was changed to soft during the afternoon after more showers.

Nathra earned an 8/1 quote for the 1,000 Guineas from Paddy Power who cut favourite Minding to 2/1 from 9/4. Last season Nathra was beaten by Minding in the fillies’ mile.

Gosden said: “It pays a huge compliment to Minding, who is the most impressive Fillies’ Mile winner we’ve ever seen.

“It looked like they were going to come across to the rail and had to move from his gap.

“As soon as Frankie said go she took off. He could have waited but he couldn’t wait too long with the risk of being up against the rail.

“She’s in the French Guineas and the 1000 Guineas. She probably won’t run in both.”

Dettori and Gosden had already won the first race of the day and they went on to complete a 14/1 treble when debutant Castle Harbour won the Alex Scott Maiden.

The newcomer battled well to win from favourite Fawaareq and Archimento, returned at 100/30.

Knowledge of soft ground horses paid huge dividends in the Ben Burgess Handicap Stakes when 16/1 shot Teruntum Star won by almost two lengths under Jamie Spencer for trainer Kevin Ryan.

At Newmarket’s July course last summer, the four-year-old relished the soft going to win the Adnams Broadside Handicap with ease. Connections after that race said that soft ground was the key to the horse and so it proved again.

Drawn on the outside, Spencer allowed his mount to track a small group of three early on before drifting towards the centre of the course.

He took it up with more than a furlong of the six to go and was never troubled, holding off Bertiewhittle and Yeeoow, both returned at 16/1 and 14/1 in a placepot-busting result which cheered the bookies.

“He will improve for the run but this ground is important to him. He will have an early campaign and we will put him away and then have an autumn campaign with him,” said the winning trainer.

The day’s finale went to Speed Company who completed a double for Ryan Moore. Trained by John Quinn, Speed Company, 5/1, got up late on to edge out brave frontrunner Zzoro.