Classic dream alive for O’Brien’s ‘best’ City Of Troy

Nick Robson
August 21, 2024 4:38 pm

American adventure a possibility after front-running International verdict.

Aidan O’Brien reiterated his belief that City Of Troy is the best he has ever trained after watching his superstar colt smash the track record previously held by Sea The Stars in a red-hot Juddmonte International at York.

In a quirky twist, O’Brien’s The Lion In Winter had also clocked a record time earlier in the afternoon in the Acomb Stakes, with the colt the only progeny of that now excellent stallion housed at Ballydoyle.

Racegoers have never been left in any doubt about the regard in which O’Brien holds City Of Troy – after his romp in last year’s Superlative Stakes he went on record saying the colt was producing work at home he had never previously seen.

Victory in the Dewhurst followed on soft ground and he was a red-hot favourite for the 2000 Guineas but a complete no-show there had even the brightest Coolmore minds puzzled.

City Of Troy pulls clear of Calandagan and Ghostwriter (Mike Egerton/PA)

Having pulled a rabbit out of the hat 12 months previously when Auguste Rodin won the Derby after similarly bombing out in the Guineas, O’Brien repeated the feat at Epsom and while City Of Troy’s Eclipse victory failed to set the pulse racing, the very testing ground was put up as the reason.

There was to be no excuse on that score in Yorkshire and there was also no hiding place against Derby runner-up Ambiente Friendly, top-class filly Bluestocking, Royal Ascot winner Calandagan and Japanese St Leger victor Durezza.

O’Brien ran a pacemaker in Hans Andersen but despite him sporting first-time blinkers, City Of Troy broke quicker and Ryan Moore found himself in front – and there he stayed, winning by a length from Calandagan.

As ever in racing, the question is always ‘what next?’ and being by American Triple Crown winner Justify, the dream of a Breeders’ Cup Classic bid, for which he is 4-1 favourite with Betfair, is very much alive.

O’Brien said: “The lads can do whatever they want but we always dreamed he would be a Classic horse. That’s what we always dreamed.

“It wasn’t the plan today (to make the running) but he hit the gates and Ryan just decided he was going along.

“What happened in the Guineas, we went away from that (making the running) because he frightened us. As a two-year-old, he was very quick early and he would dominate and keep going, which is what he did today but Ryan gave him a brilliant ride, he controlled it brilliantly and finished off very strong.

“I think we’ll see the best of him when he bounces out very strong and is left to roll, he gets into a massive tempo and keeps going.

“People will measure his stride but the length of it in the last two furlongs is incredible really. That’s what he was like at two, he just keeps going and Ryan said he went through the line very strong.”

City Of Troy returns victorious (Mike Egerton/PA)

While there is still a remote possibility of City Of Troy running in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe – something Moore is keen on – America seems favourite at this stage.

“I know Ryan would love to do the Arc and anything is possible, but the lads will decide where they want to go. You need a very special horse for the Arc and that is what Ryan always thought he was, but it will be discussed,” said O’Brien.

“Everything he did from the day we trained him, he was just the best. The first day we ran him this year, it was like he got covered in a swamp, so we didn’t know where we were. We had to re-do everything to get him back doing things right.

“Today it came back out what we were trying to contain at two and do everything to make sure it didn’t happen again, today it just came naturally back out.

“Ryan contained him as long as he could in front, he didn’t want to over-race and it was only going to the two marker that he really piled it on, but that’s what he used to do at two.

“We wanted to keep him sharp, as we had the Classic in our mind, we didn’t want a slog anywhere. The last day didn’t go right, the ground was soft and the pace was slow, but he still won. That’s what we were hoping, beautiful ground and a flat track.

“It’s incredible the condition of the track, when we walked it, it didn’t feel good to firm, they’ve done an incredible job with the cover of grass.”

Michael Tabor (left) with Aidan O'Brien — Michael Tabor (left) with Aidan O’Brien (PA)

One of the Coolmore triumvirate, Michael Tabor, will be part of the decision-making process and he was in no doubt City Of Troy is the best they have had.

He said: “That was better than anything, and I mean anything!

“He never looked like getting beaten and there’s much more in the tank. He’s a special horse, as Aidan has always said.”