City Of Troy became the sixth horse to complete the Juddmonte and Derby double in great fashion for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore on the first day of the Ebor Festival.
All conquering at two, Aidan O’Brien’s son of Justify left 2000 Guineas disappointment in the past with redemption both in the Derby at Epsom and then when registering a battling success in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.
With many far from wowed by his heroics in Esher, an all-star cast assembled to take him on in the Ebor Festival’s opening-day highlight.
City Of Troy jumped out alertly in the hands of Ryan Moore, with the rider eager to make the most of his Classic-winning stamina.
Royal Rhyme, City Of Troy’s stablemate Hans Andersen and Ghostwriter were in his immediate slipstream, with Japanese raider Durezza also close by, while those from further back were keen to work their way into contention swinging into the straight.
The Aga Khan’s Calandagan burst out of the pack to lay down his challenge and continue Francis-Henri Graffard’s fine season, but as both the French raider and City Of Troy scorched clear of the field, the Royal Ascot winner was unable to reel in Ballydoyle’s star performer as he broke the course record.
The front-running City Of Troy smashes York’s course record
City Of Troy crossed the line a length clear of Calandagan, with Clive Cox’s Ghostwriter claiming third, as the 5-4 favourite silenced any remaining doubters in scintillating style.
“I’m obviously always saying too much about him and they are saying he smashed the course record there and it didn’t go according to plan,” said O’Brien.
“Ryan decided to make the running on him and what an incredible ride he gave him.
“I’m so delighted for the lads and we always felt he was something very different. Things haven’t gone right for him some days, but he still overcomes them which makes it very special.
“He is a horse who loves to be up with the pace and a strong pace and he gets it really well. Everything he does, he stays, he is tough and we’re hoping the lads might go to the (Breeders’ Cup) Classic with him, that would be some dream.
“He has natural pace out the stalls like Giant’s Causeway had but quicker. What happened in the Guineas frightened us and we didn’t want to do that any more, we wanted to drop him in and teach him to relax and do all the right things.
“He did it with Ryan unplanned today, so it was in there wanting to come out. It was incredible what he did there and the last half of the race, what he was doing was incredible, I thought he went through the line really strong.
“He is the best I have trained and we thought that as a two-year-old, we always thought that. He is the most special horse we’ve ever had. We went off the road the first run this year and right into the swamp, but for him to come out of it and to get to where he is today is incredible.”
The Lion In Winter and Ryan Moore broke the two-year-old track record at York
Lion roars to head of Guineas and Derby betting
The Lion In Winter roared loudest at York to come out on top in a Tattersalls Acomb Stakes showdown with Ruling Court.
The duo were dominating the top of the markets for next year’s Classics having both impressed in their respective debuts and a change in race conditions saw the stellar two-year-olds lock horns on the Knavesmire on just their second career outings.
Charlie Appleby’s son of Justify was billed as the star attraction following his spectacular display at Sandown and was settled in mid-division by William Buick, as Ryan Moore aboard The Lion In Winter was at the head of proceedings alongside Hugo Palmer’s The Waco Kid.
Buick asked the even money favourite to move into contention as the race entered the final quarter mile but there was no way past Aidan O’Brien’s son of Sea The Stars, who grew stronger the further he went.
The Lion In Winter came home with a length and three-quarters advantage as the 2-1 second favourite, with Ruling Court eventually giving way to Wimbledon Hawkeye for second, James Owen’s colt outrunning odds of 22-1.
The winner was made 8-1 favourite for next year’s 2000 Guineas with Paddy Power, with the firm also making him the 6-1 market leader for the Derby.
O’Brien said: “He won very well the last day and people gave him a very high rating, everyone thought he was a very good horse.
“Wayne (Lordan) rode him and loved him. He’d been working very well, he’s always been a lovely straightforward, uncomplicated horse.
“We came here as we wanted to give him experience ahead of the Goffs Million as we felt it looked a lovely race for him. We thought it could be sharp enough for him but he hit the gates well and Ryan had him in a lovely position, he didn’t even touch him with the stick and he broke the track record, so obviously he’s a very smart colt.
“I’m delighted, you couldn’t be happier really. The Goffs Million was the target, we have Henri Matisse going for the Futurity this weekend to split them up but the lads will decide – they always do.
“We came here for experience but we were a little bit afraid as this place can be sharp enough. It’s a quick seven furlongs but obviously he has loads of class. You’d have to be very impressed.
“He’s the only Sea The Stars we have, he’s very good looking which is why the lads bought him, you’d have to like everything he’s doing at the moment.
“I think he’d be OK at the top level this year looking at what he did there. We knew the third horse was very good but we know having come through the breeze-ups, sometimes they take a few runs to show how good they are, so he might not have been as good as he was at Sandown so we knew he might be vulnerable today.
“It looked a good Acomb, looking at him he’d have no problem at a mile and further next year.”
Los Angeles grinds out a win in the Voltigeur
Los Angeles digs deep to grind out Great Voltigeur victory
The star of Los Angeles continues to rise after the Irish Derby scorer registered a gutsy success in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes at York.
Third behind Ballydoyle stablemate City Of Troy at Epsom, Aidan O’Brien’s son of Camelot gained his own Classic triumph at the Curragh in the Irish equivalent on his last start.
Supplemented into this Group Two event, he was sent off 5-4 favourite in the hands of Ryan Moore as he became the first horse to win the Knavesmire contest under a penalty.
Los Angeles was settled in third as O’Brien-trained pair Euphoric and Illinois took the field along, but once shaken up to bridge the gap to his stablemates, he responded to Moore’s urgings to work his way to the head of proceedings.
The challengers mounted at all angles as Los Angeles needed to pull out all the stops inside the final furlong but neither rallying runner-up Illinois or Harry Charlton’s King’s Gambit could get past Moore and his willing ally as he hung on by a neck.
He was made the 5-2 outright favourite for the St Leger by Paddy Power in the aftermath, but it remains to be seen in which direction connections will head in the autumn.