City Leader shrugged off injury and advancing years to come out on top in a thriller for the Listed ITWCP Festival Stakes at Goodwood.
The grey has never managed to replicate his dazzling form at two, when he won the Royal Lodge and finished second in the Racing Post Trophy, but has continued to serve trainer Brian Meehan well despite being on the sidelines for all of last season.
Now six and clearly better for a sighter at Ascot, the 16-1 chance came with a strong late run under Martin Dwyer to beat Class Is Class and Principal Role by two heads.
“It’s great to see him back,” said Meehan.
“He had a complicated injury and a lot of people worked very hard on him, both the vets and my staff.
“He has a heart the size of a house and he’ll get a mile and a half now. We’ll have to find him something at Royal Ascot if we can.”
There was also a performance of genuine promise from Passion For Gold (13-2) in the Southern Daily Echo Tapster Stakes.
Godolphin’s colt missed his entire Classic season, having finished close to St Nicholas Abbey in the Beresford Stakes, and ended up a Group One winner in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud as a two-year-old.
He was beaten comfortably by Jet Away on his comeback at Lingfield but turned the tables in emphatic fashion, making all the running under Frankie Dettori and coming in two and a half lengths clear of the 4-6 favourite.
“I still didn’t think he was 100% fit today and I thought he might get tired, but the way he has come on from his first run makes me think he’ll come on again,” said Dettori.
Trainer Saeed bin Suroor added: “He had tiny ligament problems, nothing major, but he’ll improve.
“He is entered in the Hardwicke Stakes so we’ll think about that.”
Richard Hannon’s Trumpet Major (4-7 favourite) coasted home in the EBF Sussex Society Magazine Maiden Stakes.
“He’s a good-looking horse and he’ll come on again for this,” said Hannon.
Harlestone Times (3-1) gave trainer John Dunlop options after chasing down Nave in the Brighton Argus Handicap.
“Ted Durcan told me he’d get two miles so we might have some fun with him,” reported Dunlop.
“There might be a mile and a half handicap at Ascot for him, and Ted said he could be an Ebor horse.”
The Dunlop and Durcan show continued in the Hampshire Chronicle Stakes as 2-1 favourite Anton Dolin led home stable companion Drumadoon.
Walter Swinburn’s Crown Choice (15-2) powered away with the Hampshire Society Stakes and may now head for the Wokingham at Royal Ascot.
Durcan made it three and Swinburn two through Perfect Pastime (9-2) in the Newsquest Stakes.