The Lion In Winter roared loudest at York to come out on top in a Tattersalls Acomb Stakes showdown with Ruling Court.
The duo were dominating the top of the markets for next year's Classics having both impressed in their respective debuts and a change in race conditions saw the stellar two-year-olds lock horns on the Knavesmire on just their second career outings.
Charlie Appleby’s son of Justify was billed as the star attraction following his spectacular display at Sandown and was settled in mid-division by William Buick, as Ryan Moore aboard The Lion In Winter was at the head of proceedings alongside Hugo Palmer’s The Waco Kid.
Buick asked the even money favourite to move into contention as the race entered the final quarter mile but there was no way past Aidan O’Brien’s son of Sea The Stars, who grew stronger the further he went.
The Lion In Winter came home with a length and three-quarters advantage as the 2-1 second favourite, with Ruling Court eventually giving way to Wimbledon Hawkeye for second.
The winner now heads the markets for next year’s 2000 Guineas and the Derby.
The Lion In Winter shows a mightily impressive turn of foot to win the @Tattersalls1766 Acomb Stakes! 🏆
— York Racecourse (@yorkracecourse) August 21, 2024
The Aidan O'Brien trained colt flew home after Ryan Moore pressed the button! pic.twitter.com/wHdZWPPh0C
O’Brien said: "He won very well the last day and people gave him a very high rating, everyone thought he was a very good horse.
"Wayne (Lordan) rode him and loved him. He’d been working very well, he’s always been a lovely straightforward, uncomplicated horse.
"We came here as we wanted to give him experience ahead of the Goffs Million as we felt it looked a lovely race for him. We thought it could be sharp enough for him but he hit the gates well and Ryan had him in a lovely position, he didn’t even touch him with the stick and he broke the track record, so obviously he’s a very smart colt.
"I’m delighted, you couldn’t be happier really. The Goffs Million was the target, we have Henri Matisse going for the Futurity this weekend to split them up but the lads will decide – they always do.
"We came here for experience but we were a little bit afraid as this place can be sharp enough. It’s a quick seven furlongs but obviously he has loads of class. You’d have to be very impressed.
"He’s the only Sea The Stars we have, he’s very good looking which is why the lads bought him, you’d have to like everything he’s doing at the moment."
The star of Los Angeles continues to rise after the Irish Derby scorer registered a gutsy success in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes.
Third behind Ballydoyle stablemate City Of Troy at Epsom, Aidan O'Brien’s son of Camelot gained his own Classic triumph at the Curragh in the Irish equivalent on his last start.
Supplemented into this Group Two event, he was sent off 5-4 favourite in the hands of Ryan Moore as he became the first horse to win the Knavesmire contest under a penalty.
Los Angeles was settled in third as O’Brien-trained pair Euphoric and Illinois took the field along, but once shaken up to bridge the gap to his stablemates, he responded to Moore’s urgings to work his way to the head of proceedings.
The challengers mounted at all angles as Los Angeles needed to pull out all the stops inside the final furlong but neither rallying runner-up Illinois or Harry Charlton’s King’s Gambit could get past Moore and his willing ally as he hung on by a neck.
The @SkyBet Great Voltigeur Stakes goes the way of Los Angeles, who fends off stablemate Illinois and King's Gambit to win! 🥇
— York Racecourse (@yorkracecourse) August 21, 2024
A quick fire double on the card for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore! pic.twitter.com/v1ElnjCPvI
O'Brien said: "He was very tough and we were delighted with him. He’s just a lazy horse that gets a mile and a half well.
"Obviously the lads will make that decision (where he runs next), but the second horse stays very well and a mile and six is probably where he is going to be seen at his best.
"Ryan’s horse (Los Angeles) can do either – he can go up in trip, but he has plenty of class, so he could go back for an Irish Champion Stakes and finish in the first four and go on to an Arc, or he can go to the Leger with the others.
"The horse that won in Goodwood (Jan Brueghel) would probably get the Leger trip very well, Illinois would probably get the trip very well and Los Angeles could get it as well, but would have an option of going shorter trips as well.
"He’s a massive, handsome, powerful horse and he has the options and he’s very versatile ground-wise.
"I’m delighted for the lads and everyone. It’s hard to win these races, so it for it to come together, especially at a place like this, is great."
