Duffield is a City fan as Troy takes on Eclipse challenge

‘I thought he was impressive in the Derby and I think he could be more impressive in the Eclipse’.

George Duffield knows a thing or two about the Coral-Eclipse and is backing City Of Troy to impress at Sandown on Saturday.

The 77-year-old twice found the scoresheet in the Esher Group One, firstly aboard Environment Friend for James Fanshawe in 1991 and then nine years later when called up by Aidan O’Brien to partner the ‘Iron Horse’, Giant’s Causeway.

Duffield – who also won the Racing Post Trophy aboard Aristotle for O’Brien – regards riding for the master of Ballydoyle as one of the privileges of his career and cannot see past City of Troy in this weekend’s 10-furlong event.

He said: “I think he’s a very good horse, City Of Troy. I think he will take a lot of beating in the Eclipse.

City Of Troy made a statement in the Derby
City Of Troy made a statement in the Derby (Adam Davy/PA)

“I think Ryan Moore gave him an unbelievable ride in the Derby and if that was me, I would have been panicking I was a lot further back than I wanted to be.

“I think Ryan thought ‘I’m a long way behind here and I’ve got to creep’ and then luckily it has opened up like the Red Sea. The horse got him out of trouble a bit – when you are riding a Group One horse and are somewhere you don’t want to be, the horse gets you out of trouble.

“I thought City Of Troy was impressive and I think he could be more impressive in the Eclipse. I don’t think you have seen the very best of him yet. I think he is a really good horse.

“I thought he was a very impressive two-year-old, he looked a natural and he looked like he knew the job inside out.”

Of course City Of Troy disappointed for the only time in his career at Newmarket in the 2000 Guineas, but like his trainer, Duffield always believed in the son of Justify, and having witnessed first hand the genius of O’Brien, was not surprised to see him bounce back at Epsom.

He continued: “I thought he was going to win the Guineas. Aidan’s horses have done that a few times now and for whatever reason on the day, they have missed out. But if anyone can bring them back to their best, Aidan can.

“I always thought City Of Troy would win the Derby. I always said forget the Guineas, if Ryan Moore is still on that horse at Epsom then he knows he’s a really good horse, Aidan knows he’s a good horse and there’s nothing that’s changed their mind. I wish I was riding him!”

Duffield has also hailed O’Brien’s accountability on the bad days, which dovetails perfectly with his brilliant ability to get things right when it matters most.

George Duffield rode two Group One winners for Aidan O'Brien
George Duffield rode two Group One winners for Aidan O’Brien (Mike Egerton/PA)

He said: “When something Aidan thinks can’t get beat runs appallingly, immediately he stands up there and will say ‘there are probably two or three stones I didn’t turn over’, which means it is all down to him.

“Not the jockey or the staff, it is all down to him and the way he trained it and he hasn’t quite got it right.

“He’s a great trainer and an exceptional man. I was lucky to win a couple of Group Ones for him, which was nice.

“I would always take it as a compliment when asked to ride for Coolmore. Aidan could pick and choose whoever he wanted and for some reason they picked me. It was always a great boost for me.”

City Of Troy may be building a CV that allows him to lay claim to the title of O’Brien’s best horse, but one of the toughest to grace the Ballydoyle gallops was undoubtedly Giant’s Causeway.

Given the ‘Iron Horse’ moniker because of his steadfast constitution and relentless schedule, it was Duffield who rode on his first start over 10 furlongs in the Eclipse.

“I said to Aidan afterwards ‘this won’t be the best horse you will ever train, but he will be the most willing’,” continued Duffield, reflecting on what was an epic battle with Kalanisi.

“Aidan told me he had been disappointed and they thought he would win the Guineas and the Irish Guineas and they knew he was a good horse, but he just hadn’t shown how good he really is.

“He said to fire him up there, follow the pacemaker and sit second or third and when you straighten up, away you go and see how you get on. He said he will get a mile and a quarter stood on his head and I would never dispute anything Aidan said as he’s such a genius.

“Richard Hills (on John Dunlop’s 7-4 favourite Sakhee) found a way up my inside, I don’t know where, going round the turn. He got through and went and I could hear a big roar as he was favourite and they all thought he would win.

“But I went back and beat him off and still felt I had more in the tank, he was floating underneath me, he’s not given me 100 per cent yet.”

Duffield went on: “He loved a fight, he used to wait for them. When he beat Richard Hills off I thought ‘that’s good I’ve beat him off, but if something comes out of the pack then I am here to be shot at’.

“Then Pat (Eddery, on Kalanisi) came and headed me and I just knew Giant’s Causeway would go back and get him, I just knew he really wanted to win this race. This horse wanted it even more than I did – which takes some doing – and he eyeballed the other horse and said ‘it’s not yours mate, it’s mine’.

“That was him in a nutshell, he was an unbelievably good horse, but he just had one of those temperaments where he just loved to eyeball horses and would never win four or five lengths – he would always just do enough to win his race.”

It was Environment Friend – a horse Duffield described as Jekyll and Hyde – that provided him with his first success in the Sandown feature, causing a 28-1 shock in 1991.

Having won the Dante aboard the son of Cozzene, Duffield felt he had a great chance of picking up a first Classic aboard James Fanshawe’s colt in the Derby, but would soon be left questioning the decision of owner Bill Gredley to head to the Eclipse after a disaster at Epsom.

However, the owner would be proved right as Environment Friend produced one of his best displays to scoop top-level honours for the first and only time.

Duffield said: “I thought he could win the Derby after I rode him to win the Dante and he ran appallingly in the Derby, he just never raised a canter from leaving the stalls to the winning post.

“Bill said he wanted to run in the Eclipse and I thought that was the wrong move after running such a bad race in the Derby.

“He was just a different horse at Sandown. I came from nearly last, crept around and went and mugged Steve Cauthen (on Stagecraft) on the line.

“I remember just turning into the straight, Ray Cochrane (on In The Groove) could see me creeping and he went ‘go on George, you get them boy’. His horse was spent and I can remember him clearly giving me a shout, it happened and it was fantastic.

“He was a very good horse, but he was a Jekyll and Hyde, he could have a brilliant day but he could also have a stinking day. There was no doubt that he was a very good horse.”

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