Sergei Diaghilev (2c Wootton Bassett - Embellish, by Galileo) landed his first stakes contest with victory in the Listed Coolmore Stud Churchill Stakes at Gowran Park on Friday. The Ballydoyle-trained colt struck on his debut at the Curragh in May and was making it two wins from three starts after running in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. Ridden by Wayne Lordan, Sergei Diaghilev was positioned prominently and took up the lead with less than two furlongs left to run. He kept on inside the final furlong to win by three-quarters of a length, with Bellesque (by St Mark’s Basilica) in third. Stable representative Chris Armstrong said: "Going to Ascot for some reason it never happened for him. Coming here with the step up in trip we thought the trip wouldn't be an issue. First time round a turning track, Wayne gave him a lovely ride from drawn wide. He jumped and got a lovely lead off Colin and took it up in the straight. In fairness, when Billy came to him it actually helped him and he really hit the line strong. "On paper, it looked a very competitive Listed race. You could nearly say it was a Group 3, they were all there. Wayne said it rode a good race. Trip wise he is grand at that. You could even bring him back to seven. It was lovely ground today. He'll handle an ease in the ground. He handles good ground. Something maybe like the Champagne Stakes. He won't be short of options come the end of the year. It's nice to get him back in a winning bracket and for whatever reason Ascot was just a non event." A full-brother to fellow stakes scorer Endorsement, Sergei Diaghilev was bred by the Embellish Syndicate.