Ghaiyyath continued his brilliant winning run by repelling all challengers in the Group One Juddmonte International Stakes at York.
Charlie Appleby's front-runner led throughout once again as he saw off a top-class five-strong field to win by three lengths as the 11-8 favourite, under William Buick.
Ghaiyyath predictably had to contend with the close attendance of outsider Rose Of Kildare in the early stages – and once that hazard was out of the way, he was harried in the final two furlongs by 2000 Guineas winner Kameko and Aidan O'Brien's multiple Group One heroine Magical.
But none ever closed within two lengths as Appleby’s five-year-old added this success to his Coronation Cup and Coral-Eclipse victories already this season.
Magical took second spot, with Lord North eventually staying on past Kameko into third.
GHAIYYATH completes a great Group 1 hat-trick after landing the @JuddmonteFarms International Stakes in convincing style for
— York Racecourse (@yorkracecourse) August 19, 2020
Charlie Appleby and @godolphin 👏#EborAtHome 🐎 pic.twitter.com/LzpvB3lYgj
Appleby told ITV Racing: "(I'm) delighted with that performance today. To have a horse like that on our hands is an honour.
"A fantastic ride by William. It was a nice race to watch. He got into a lovely rhythm and I knew coming up the straight, once I saw William gather him up and change his hands, I was confident he would gallop on strongly to the line."
Buick said: "This horse can do all the things most horses can't. His high cruising speed, the way he keeps going and at the business end he has another gear just to finish the race off completely.
"I love him. He’s a high-class horse and he’s now got everything on his CV. He’s been beaten the best around at this trip.
"He’s obviously very good at a mile and a quarter. He stays a mile and a half. It’s going to be interesting to see if he’ll get an end-of-season target like the Arc. I don’t know.
"His highness Sheikh Mohammed and Charlie will decide what’s best for the horse. As long as the ground isn’t bad, I’m sure the Arc would be an interesting target for him. He’s the best I’ve ridden without a doubt."
WHAT A PERFORMANCE!
— York Racecourse (@yorkracecourse) August 19, 2020
Pyledriver romps home to land the @SkyBet Great Voltigeur Stakes in emphatic style for Martin Dwyer and trainer William Muir 👏#EborAtHome pic.twitter.com/ESzggdP456
Pyledriver delivered a power-packed performance to register his second Group Two triumph in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes.
The King Edward VII Stakes winner put an unfortunate run in the Derby behind him to show his true his colours in terrific fashion and strike for trainer William Muir and jockey Martin Dwyer, his son-in-law.
Subjectivist set the pace with Berkshire Rocco and Roberto Escobarr close up and Pyledriver towards the rear.
The pack opened up in the straight, with every one of the eight runners having a chance until Pyledriver saunted through on the far side of the track to make his bid.
Once Pyledriver (10-1) hit the front, the race was as good as over, despite having a 3lb penalty for his Royal Ascot success.
Highland Chief (11-1) was three and a half lengths back in second place with Mogul (85-40 favourite) half a length away in third.
Pyledriver was quoted at 8-1 with Betway to win the St Leger at Doncaster next month and was slashed to 6-1 from 16-1 with Betway and Paddy Power.
Acclaim The Nation ran out a decisive winner of the opening Sky Bet And Symphony Group Handicap.
A field of 21 runners went to post for the first race of an Ebor Festival which will be run behind closed doors, with Eric Alston's Acclaim The Nation an 18-1 shot having finished second in three of his last four starts.
Sporting a sheepskin noseband, the seven-year-old raced on the speed from the start under Jason Hart and kicked a couple of lengths clear of his rivals approaching the final furlong.
Soldier's Minute finished strongly on the far side of the track, but Acclaim The Nation was always doing enough to hold him at bay and there was a length and a quarter between the pair at the line. Tarboosh and Arecibo finished close up in third and fourth respectively.
Having earlier landed the Acomb Stakes with Gear Up, trainer Mark Johnston completed a double with Summer Moon in the Sky Bet Handicap.
The 18-1 chance saw out the two-mile distance strongly under a power-packed ride from Joe Fanning to get up and beat Rajinsky by three-quarters of a length.
Johnston said: "This horse deserves a good one. The race was set up for him a wee bit, but he was tough at the finish.
"We wondered at Goodwood last time whether he didn't quite get the two and a half miles, but he ran a great race in the Cesarewitch last year and I’m sure that will be his end-of-season target. Hopefully the prize-money will have gone back up by then!"
Karl Burke and Danny Tudhope combined to claim the Sky Bet Fillies’ Sprint Handicap with Lady In France.
The 12-1 shot had finished last of six on her only previous start this year at Doncaster in June, but bounced back with a half-length triumph to set up a bid for a repeat win in next month’s Scottish Fillies’ Sprint Stakes at Ayr.
The concluding Sky Bet Nursery Handicap went to Cairn Island (9-2), trained by Kevin Ryan and ridden by Andrea Atzeni.
A winner on his third career start at Ayr three weeks ago, the Kodiac colt followed up with a neck verdict over Perotto.
Ryan said: "He’s a horse we’ve always liked and he’s improving with racing – he’s mentally getting into it.
"He was tough there. They went a good gallop and he was headed, but Andrea said he just put his head down and fought back."
