- Racing finally has a superstar in training after blistering International victory
- Ballydoyle dominance can only grow after an emphatic showing at York
- O’Brien holds all the aces and big-hitting rivals are struggling to keep pace
Sometimes brilliant racehorses restore your faith in the sport. For all the troubles and internal power struggles racing faces, it was all washed away for a few minutes at least when City Of Troy strutted his stuff to win the Juddmonte International in sizzling style at York this week.
This was the defining race for a potential superstar the sport craves and the performance from City Of Troy was precisely that. There was always the suspicion that a mile and a quarter on a flat track on fast ground would see Aidan O’Brien’s three-year-old colt to best effect and so it proved. He did it the hard way in a race that had depth.
Yes, maybe his 12 opponents were lacking genuine Group One form but they saw enough to stand their ground and take on a horse that not everyone was convinced by. Those doubters were silenced. City Of Troy bucked out sharply and was too quick for pacemaker Hans Andersen. Jockey Ryan Moore, in one of several good decisions in the saddle all week, decided to stride on regardless.
The end result was City Of Troy enjoying himself out of front, quickening turning for home and fending off the late challenge of French rival Calandagan to win by a length.
Just like he did as a two-year-old, City Of Troy hit the line hard and firmly gave the impression that he’s got more to offer and would have pulled out more if Calandagan did manage to get upsides.
This is the first horse since Baaeed to get truly excited about. He’s exactly the kind of outstanding racehorse that provide the sport with that buzz of anticipation. When he kicked for home, you could hear a pin drop around York and beyond.
After the kick comes the roar, then the fleeting gasps as a challenger runs on down the outside, and then comes the joy and relief of victory.
City Of Troy produced a performance for the ages in the Juddmonte International at York
Aidan O’Brien enjoyed a terrific week at the Ebor Festival and is leaving his rivals trailing
Jockey Ryan Moore is the best in the world and an invaluable asset to the team at Ballydoyle
O’Brien puffed out his cheeks once City Of Troy hit the finishing line. Labelled ‘our Frankel’ by the team at Ballydoyle, there was a sense of vindication in the enormous belief O’Brien has in this horse. City Of Troy is the one that keeps the Coolmore operation rolling on. Another potential top-class sire to hang their hat on.
Team O’Brien were dominant at York. Content won the Yorkshire Oaks, Los Angeles won the Great Voltigeur, The Lion In Winter was too good in the Acomb Stakes. The opening day of York’s Ebor Festival was akin to Willie Mullins at Cheltenham. It was that dominant and it’s only going to increase.
A top-class prospect runs in an Irish maiden every week. More than half the field entered for next month’s St Leger at Doncaster are trained by O’Brien. He has the best jockey on the planet in Moore at his disposal and leads the British trainers championship by an astonishing £3millon. He’s won twice more money in the Irish equivalent from his son Joseph who is second.
Los Angeles (far right) won the Great Voltigeur for the Moore-O’Brien combination at York
It’s an incredible stranglehold on the sport. To think when the team lost super sire Galileo there were murmurings of discontent over at Ballydoyle. Now they look stronger than ever and have City Of Troy as a powerful all-conquering flag bearer. Rivals must be concerned. Even big-hitters like John and Thady Gosden seem badly in transition this year and short of firepower. Godolphin seem more interested in ventures in the United States and the Middle East as they offer better prize-money.
Everything is in place for O’Brien to be even more dominant in the future. The Flat equivalent of Mullins’ monopoly of the jumps game? It might not be on that vast scale but is seems increasingly more likely.
PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK…
Only one possible contender. CITY OF TROY in the York International. The best performance since Baaeed in 2022’s renewal. A rating of 124 after the Derby arguably flattered him but that was a 126+ performance at very least to beat off progressive French three-year-old Calandagan and beat the third Ghostwriter much further than he did in the Eclipse Stakes. The Breeders Cup Classic is the last assignment of the season on the dirt track of Del Mar in November.
SELECTION OF THE DAY… LASTING LOVE (8-1, William Hill) was disappointing in her last couple of runs but the Andrew Balding yard are in better form now and the soft ground at Goodwood in the Darley Maiden Stakes (1.50) should suit. Champion jockey Oisin Murphy takes the ride and Lasting Love was deemed good enough to have an Oaks entry and ran in a warm Listed race at Chester where the second won the Group Two Ribblesdale Stakes. She’s clearly held in some regard and is worth chancing in maiden company each-way at a fair price.
