Ascoli Piceno got up in the final strides to deny ownermate Queen’s Walk in a thrilling finish to the Group One Victoria Mile at Tokyo Racecourse on Sunday.

Rank outsider Alice Verite took the field along at a frantic gallop with $2.7 favourite Ascoli Piceno settled dead last, just behind Queen’s Walk.

At the 400m pole it looked as though Alice Verite may cling on for a remarkable upset, but her strides shortened and those held-up – including Ascoli Piceno, Queen’s Walk and Shirankedo – lashed home in the dash to the line.

Queen’s Walk was the first to hit the front, but Christophe Lemaire timed things to perfection on Ascoli Piceno, who flew home down the outside to pinch the prize in the final bounds.

Shirankedo was blocked on multiple occasions when trying to weave a passage in the home straight and could go down as an unlucky loser back in third.

It was a first win in the race for trainer Yoichi Kuroiwa, while Lemaire was winning the race for a record-extending fourth time.

Damian Lane, who won the Group One Tenno Sho (3,200m) two weeks ago, was not beaten far into fourth on Argine, who was another to benefit from the honest gallop.

Elsewhere, Lead Artist lowered the colours of Dancing Gemini and Rosallion with a power-packed performance in the Group One Lockinge Stakes (1,600m) at Newbury on Saturday.

The Dubawi colt was a bitter disappointment when beaten out of sight by $2.6 favourite Dancing Gemini in the Group Two Sandown Mile last month, but he reversed the placings in no uncertain terms with a game performance.

Ridden by champion jockey Oisin Murphy, Lead Artist stalked the pace throughout the journey before taking up the lead with 200m to race.

He was challenged and passed by Dancing Gemini soon after, but Murphy galvanised his mount and charged back to the lead in the final strides to win going away.

Rosallion, a three-time Group One winner making his comeback following an injury-induced absence, was left in the breeze throughout the race and ultimately failed to pick up as expected under Ryan Moore.

As usual, Moore did not leave Newbury empty-handed, cashing in with a double on Aramram in the Class Two Hong Kong Jockey Club Handicap (1,200m) and Solar Army for Dancing Gemini’s trainer Roger Teal in the Class Three World Pool Handicap (1,600m).

In Australia, the Group One Doomben 10,000 (1,200m) went the way of $2.7 favourite Sunshine In Paris under James McDonald.

Settled in midfield, McDonald came with a strong late surge to overhaul Rothfire in the final strides and collect the prize.

Meanwhile, Dubai Honour has made the trip to Hong Kong ahead of his run in the Group One Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) on May 25.

The William Haggas-trained globetrotter is a three-time Group One winner in Australia and is the sole foreign raider in the final elite-level race of the Hong Kong season.