Jan Brueghel, the 2024 St Leger winner, dug deep to fend off hot favourite Calandagan in the Group 1 Coronation Cup at Epsom on Friday.
Calandagan, the 8/13 favourite, was delivered down the outside and was nearly upsides ing the furlong pole, but Jan Brueghel, a 100/30 chance, found plenty under Ryan Moore to score by half a length.
Victory made it five wins from six starts for Jan Brueghel, who was taking a big step forward on what he had shown when runner-up in the Alleged Stakes on his reappearance at the Curragh in April. Jan Brueghel didn't race as a juvenile but won all four starts at three, most notably the St Leger, which he won by a neck from stablemate Illinois.
Trainer Aidan O'Brien, who was ing his tenth victory in the Coronation Cup, said: "He had a lovely run back first time, but it was only over a mile and a quarter and he got beaten by a good horse of Joseph [O'Brien]'s.
"We felt that he came forward great. It was a bit unfair what I did. I pitched him in early over a mile and a quarter, but we just needed to get him out and started. He's a very brave horse. He's another one of those horses that if you him slowly, you're in trouble."
O'Brien added: "Ryan gave him an incredible ride, he got him lovely and balanced and let him into a lovely rhythm. You could see him start to come from a long way out. In the straight he [Ryan] carried him, incredible."
O'Brien's other runner, Continuous, the 2023 St Leger winner, cut out the early gallop and was tracked by Ancient Wisdom with Jan Brueghel in third.
Calandagan initially raced in last under Mickael Barzalona but made headway up the inside of Giavellotto and Bellum Justum on the run towards Tattenham Corner and was little more than a length behind Jan Brueghel as they turned for home.
Calandagan didn't pick up instantly, initially looking to hang down the camber, but he made good headway on the approach to the final furlong and looked to be coming with a winning run. Jan Brueghel responded gamely, however, and asserted close home to consign Calandagan to a fourth consecutive runner-up finish in Group 1 company.
Moore said: "He's only been beaten once and that was on his first run this year over a mile and a quarter. He stays this trip very well and is an uncomplicated horse. Aidan had him - as he always does - in unbelievable shape.
"He showed a great attitude, the second horse is a very talented horse and I'm sure he'll win a big race soon.
"The ground being on the slow side of good suited him and he stayed on very well. He switched his leads and he found again, he didn't stop."
More from Sporting Life
Safer gambling
We are committed in our of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.
