Charlie Hills will consider options abroad for Dutch Connection after he earned himself a deserved return to the winner's enclosure in the Qatar Lennox Stakes at Goodwood.
Although winless since his Jersey Stakes triumph at Royal Ascot last summer, the four-year-old had run a number of excellent races in defeat, including when touched off by Toormore in this Group Two contest 12 months ago.
A decent effort to finish second in Ascot's Summer Mile almost three weeks ago set him up perfectly for a return to the Sussex Downs and he was the 9-4 favourite in the hands of Australian-based James McDonald, who will head back Down Under at the end of this week having enhanced his reputation in Britain this summer.
With the Hugo Palmer-trained pair of Gifted Master and Home Of The Brave giving him a perfect lead into the race, Dutch Connection quickened up smartly to hit the front in the last of seven furlongs and he was good value for his one-and-three-quarter-length victory.
The other Group Two prize on the card, the Qatar Vintage Stakes, went to Ireland as Aidan O'Brien's War Decree (6-4 favourite) struck gold under Ryan Moore.
The American-bred juvenile was beaten by the reoppposing Boynton in the Superlative Stakes at Newmarket earlier in the month, but reversed the form in some style.
RaceBets cut the winner to 12-1 from 16-1 for next year's 2000 Guineas.
Asked about future targets, Paul Smith, son of part-owner Derrick Smith, said: "It's open, but maybe races like the Champagne Stakes and the National Stakes, those races are open to him."
Hills was quick to hail McDonald's riding abilities post-race, although the shine was somewhat taken off the day for the jockey when he was handed an 11-day ban for using his whip above the permitted level on Qewy, runner-up to Elidor in the Better Odds With Matchbook Summer Stakes.
"It's three years ago that James came over for the first time and we seemed to hit it off pretty well. I think he's a world-class jockey and still very young, so I think we're going to see him here quite a bit," said the Lambourn-based trainer.
"The first morning James came down to ride, dad (Barry Hills) asked me who he was and he said 'I haven't seen a jockey like that since Steve Cauthen was on these gallops', so that's a high accolade."
He added: "There's an option for him in Saratoga, maybe the Prix Maurice de Gheest in France as well."
Mark Johnston traditionally excels at Glorious Goodwood - this was a 67th success - and Fire Fighting (8-1 co-favourite) provided him with the perfect start to this year's meeting in the opening Matchbook Betting Exchange Stakes, the Middleham handler's sixth victory in the race.
Elidor, meanwhile, was joining an elite group of horses to have won at this meeting and Royal Ascot and could be seen next in the Ebor at York.
Mick Channon said of the 16-1 scorer: "He is like part of the furniture and he deserved another big win. He is just a smashing horse to have around."
