City Of Troy cements legendary status as he completes famous hat-trick with International win
Coolmore’s imperious three-year-old City Of Troy (3 c Justify – Together Forever by Galileo) cemented his place among horseracing’s recent greats when dominating proceedings in Wednesday’s International Stakes (Gr 1, 1m 2.5f) at York to be lauded as “the most special horse we have ever had” by his trainer Aidan O’Brien.
Having bombed out when odds-on favourite for the English 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) in May, the son of Justify (Scat Daddy) roared back to form when comfortably landing the Epsom Derby (Gr 1, 1m 4f), before then going on to prevail in determined style in the Coral-Eclipse (Gr 1, 1m 2f) the following month.
Aiming to become only the second horse after Sea The Stars (Cape Cross) to land the famous Epsom Derby, Coral-Eclipse, and International Stakes treble, City Of Troy was sent off the 5-4 favourite under Ryan Moore.
Jumping out well from the stalls, Moore opted to take up the lead with the colt and the pair never saw another rival, kicking two lengths clear at the two-furlong pole before keeping on well to always hold French raider Calandagan (Gleneagles) by a length in a record time for the course and distance of 2m 4.32s.
Ghostwriter (Invincible Spirit), who had run third, just two lengths behind City Of Troy in the Coral-Eclipse, finished third behind that rival again, this time beaten four and a half lengths as three-year-olds filled the first three places.
“As the boss said the last day, we let the horse do the talking,” the winning rider told ITV Racing. “He’s gone out and done it again.
“He was an exceptional two-year-old, he’s had one bad day, he still got the job done in the Eclipse and he’s putting together a very good record.
“It was a change after the start, he got away well and I didn’t want to be taking him back. He was a little bit idle, but he kept finding all the way to the line. He’s a very talented racehorse.
“He’s got a very big engine, good horses have to have speed and they have to stay. He does that.”
O’Brien, who was winning the race for a record seventh time, said: “It didn’t go according to plan. Ryan decided to make the running on him and what an incredible ride he gave him.”
City Of Troy was cut into 4-1 favourite for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (Gr 1, 10f) at Del Mar in November following Wednesday’s victory, and O’Brien and connections hinted that could be the plan for the backend of the year.
“We have always felt he was something very different,” the winning trainer said. “I am hoping that maybe the lads might go to the Classic with him. That would be some dream.”