It was all about City of Troy in the city of York overnight when the glamour three year-old Justify colt posted another exciting victory over a competitive field of 12 in the Juddmonte International Stakes (1m 2 ½ f) on a day when Coolmore owned colts dominated with Los Angeles and The Lion in Winter also winning Group races.
Trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by Ryan Moore, City of Troy took luck out of the equation and worked to the lead, keeping up a relentless gallop to win by a length over the Aga Khan bred three year-old Calandagan in course record time.
“City of Troy jumped and hit the gates and Ryan decided he was going along. What happened in the Guineas frightened us and we wanted to drop him in and teach him to relax and do all the right things, but he did it with Ryan unplanned there today,” said Aidan O’Brien.
“As a two-year-old he was naturally very quick early and he dominated and kept going and that's what he did today. Ryan gave him a brilliant ride, he controlled it very well. I think we see the best of him when he bounces out strong and is let to rock. He gets into a massive tempo and he really keeps going. The length of his stride in the last two furlongs was incredible. Ryan said he went to the line very strong.”
City of Troy has now won six of seven starts and as a Group I winner at two over 7f, an Epsom Derby winner at the classic distance and a multiple winner at WFA over older rivals is the consummate racehorse, but there is more to come.
“The lads can do whatever they want but we always dreamed that he would be a Classic (Breeders’ Cup) horse. He stays, he's tough, we're hoping the lads may go to the Classic with him, that would be some dream for him,” Aidan O'Brien added.
Bred and raced by the Coolmore partners, City of Troy is a half-brother to Group III winner Military Style and is the best of five winners that all have Black Type from five to race from Group I winning Galileo mare Together Forever, a full sister to Group I Epsom Oaks winner Forever Together and half-sister to Group I winner Lord Shanakill.
City of Troy is the best of 34 stakes-winners by Justify and is one of six bred from daughters of Galileo with that nick running at 10% SW to runner,
Justify covered 188 mares in Australia last spring at a fee of $77,000, but will remain in Kentucky this year and is available for Southern Hemisphere covers with Coolmore Australia sending over a selection of quality mares for him including dual Group I winner She’s Extreme.
The Group II Voltigeur Stakes (1m4f) was won by Camelot’s Group I Irish Derby winner Los Angeles, who won by a neck as favourite for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore.
Los Angeles has only been beaten once in six starts and that was when he ran third to City of Troy in the Epsom Derby.
The Group III Acomb Stakes (7f) for two year-olds had a short priced favourite in expensive Justify colt Ruling Court, who scored an impressive debut victory for Godolphin at Sandown in July, but he came up short with victory going to O’Brien and Moore again with The Lion in Winter.
An easy debut winner at the Curragh last month, the son of Sea the Stars improved again to win by a length and three-quarters in record time for a juvenile beating Wimbledon Hawkeye with Ruling Court in third place.
“The Lion in Winter broke smart there and Ryan gave him a very uncomplicated, straightforward ride. They just went an even gallop but he found plenty when Ryan asked him and looks a very nice colt so I'm delighted for everyone,” said Aidan O’Brien.
“We always thought he'd get further than seven. We came here with the view he'd go back [to the Curragh] for the Goffs Million and we'd get good experience by coming here. He's not short of pace but you'd imagine he'd get further than a mile and a quarter.”
The Lion in Winter was purchased by MV Magnier for €375,000 from Goffs Orby Book 1 and is the first winner for Group III placed What a Home, a half-sister by Lope de Vega to Group III winner Venus de Milo, the dam of Group II MVRC Moonee Valley Cup winner Cleveland (IRE).
He is the 129th stakes-winner for Sea the Stars and is the 16th stakes-winner for Lope de Vega as a broodmare sire.
