Shadow Of Light justified the faith connections showed by supplementing him earlier in the week by getting up late to hold off Aidan O'Brien's Expanded by a neck in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.
Winner of the Middle Park over six furlongs just two weeks ago, trainer Charlie Appleby intimated afterwards that his colt would likely be put away for the season and aimed at the Commonwealth Cup next term.
Therefore, it was a surprise on Monday morning when Shadow Of Light's name was added to the Group One, which traditionally decides the leading juvenile of the season.
Not many colts win the Middle Park and the Dewhurst, and for some years they were on the same day, which rendered it impossible, but US Navy Flag did manage the double in 2017.
Appleby already had one leading contender for the Dewhurst in unbeaten youngster Ancient Truth, but William Buick kept faith with Shadow Of Light, despite having an extra furlong to travel.
However, with each drop of rain turning the ground softer by the minute, confidence began to waver in the eventual even-money favourite, despite the absence of The Lion In Winter due to a foot problem.
Only five went to post yet they still split across Newmarket's great expanse, with Seagulls Eleven leading Shadow Of Light and O'Brien's other runner Rock Of Cashel, while Expanded gave Ancient Truth a lead until two furlongs out.
Having initially been behind, the smaller ground held sway heading into the dip and James Doyle went for home on Ancient Truth, but he could not shake off Aidan O’Brien’s once-raced Expanded.
As the two groups began to get closer, Shadow Of Light once again displayed his smart turn of foot and for the first time showed off his stamina, as he stayed on strongly to get home by a neck from Expanded, with Ancient Truth another neck back in third.
Appleby said: "He's some horse to do what he has done the last few weeks and full credit to the team. He’s another homebred who is a half-brother to Earthlight.
"Going forward into the spring, we can look at both divisions, I suppose. What Will was most encouraged by was the way he raced – and when he hit the rising ground, he just kept finding and found again when they came close to one another.
"Will said he can’t tell me not to look towards a Guineas in the spring. If we go there and don’t stay the mile on the day, he wouldn’t be the first horse to drop back into the Commonwealth Cup. We’ve seen it done before and I imagine that would be our programme in the spring now."
He added: "I was delighted with Ancient Truth’s run, he was a bit fresh off his lay-off there and James (Doyle) was just having to manage him a little bit for the first two furlongs and got him into a rhythm.
"I actually thought he was going to be the one who was going to hit the rising ground and see it out the best, because at that stage William was under the pump a little bit.
"But as William said, 'he kept finding for me’, and when the others came closer, he found again."
WHAT A FINISH!
— Newmarket Racecourse (@NewmarketRace) October 12, 2024
Spread right across the track ALPHONSE LE GRANDE near side somehow denies Manxman on the far side to win the Club @Godolphin Cesarewitch Handicap pic.twitter.com/gAvixJRr0m
After a marathon two and a quarter miles, just a nose separated the front two as Alphonse Le Grande held off Manxman to win the Club Godolphin Cesarewitch Handicap – but there looks set to be a sting in the tail for connections.
The five-year-old was completing a pretty unique treble, as having won the consolation races for the Chester Cup and the Northumberland Plate earlier in the season, this time he was taking the main event.
Since June, he has been in the care of Tony Martin's sister, Cathy O’Leary, as Martin serves a suspension for breaking anti-doping rules – extended as he was present for the Newcastle win.
However, this success also looks set to have the gloss knocked off it, as unfortunately for winning apprentice jockey Jamie Powell, it appeared that he used his whip 10 times, four above the permitted level.
The matter has been referred to the British Horseracing Authority Whip Review Committee, which will meet on Tuesday and will result in the likely disqualification of the winner.
Despite a full field not lining up for the second leg of the autumn double, there was still plenty of drama.
At one point, they were in two distinct groups in the home straight before fanning out right across the track – and with two furlongs to run, Aqwaam appeared to hold all the aces.
He was on the far side of the track but then 33-1 shot Alphonse Le Grande broke through on the opposite side under Powell.
There was little between them close home and finally Manxman (7-1) appeared from in behind with a powerful run and he joined the Irish raider on the line, only to fail by the narrowest of margins.
Delacroix came out on top in a prolonged battle with Stanhope Gardens to win the Emirates Autumn Stakes for Ryan Moore and Aidan O'Brien.
It was a first victory in the Group Three contest for O’Brien, who for once was in need of a little pick-me-up.
He was forced to rule odds-on favourite The Lion In Winter out of the Dewhurst Stakes before the sun had risen and then just as racing began, news broke that his stable star City Of Troy is to be retired after the Breeders’ Cup.
This meeting is all about finding new stars, though, and Delacroix, having his fourth outing, has already shown that he will be competing in some of the big events next season.
By Dubawi out of the late, great racemare Tepin, his half-sister Grateful won a Group One in France last weekend.
Moore sent Delacroix (15-8 favourite) into the lead going into the dip when Wolf Of Badenoch faded, but he was briefly headed by Rossa Ryan on Ralph Beckett’s Stanhope Gardens.
It has taken something special to get the better of Ryan and Beckett of late, but Moore always looked confident that this time he would get the upper hand and he went on to win by a neck.
The winner was paying a huge compliment to Jessica Harrington’s Green Impact, who has already beaten Delacroix twice.
Betfair cut Delacroix to 8-1 from 20s for the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster.
Rossa Ryan was sporting a big plaster on his face courtesy of Starzintheireyes giving him a bash earlier in the week but all was forgiven as the pair stayed on powerfully to win the Palace Pier Zetland Stakes at Newmarket.
If Ryan had any delusions of grandeur having won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Bluestocking last weekend, he was soon reminded of the ups and downs of the sport when the Ralph Beckett-trained juvenile headbutted him on the gallops.
Thankfully, the damage was only superficial and given the form Beckett’s string are currently in, not surprisingly Ryan did not want to miss any likely winners.
Successful at Pontefract, Bath and already at Newmarket this week since his Arc heroics, Ryan has enjoyed a stellar season and this March Chan-owned colt entered the Derby picture having showcased his stamina.
In a race run in filthy conditions, the youngsters finished well strung out, but with a furlong to run, Charlie Johnston’s Green Storm had shot clear, with the race seemingly in the bag.
Hot favourite Shackleton failed to pick up but Ryan had timed his challenge just right on the Starspangledbanner colt, who had finished second to the smart Field Of Gold on debut and since won easily at Leicester.
As Green Storm began to wander having been in front, Starzintheireyes (9-2) went clear to win by a length.
The winner was introduced into the Derby betting at 25-1 by Betfair and Paddy Power.
Ryan said: "What happened in the week was one of those freak accidents but he has duly obliged today and the only horse he has been beaten by is a Group Three Solario winner of John Gosden's who ran well in the Lagardere (Field Of Gold).
"I knew he would get lost coming down the hill and the day he won at Leicester it took him forever to organise himself. He’s still learning and was a bit gassy to post, so I took it upon myself to drop him in today, just to get him to relax early, which he did well.
"They went a good honest gallop the whole way and on this ground, I knew he would outbattle everything, I just needed to organise him, hence the sitting into him a little bit earlier than everyone else.
"He’s a big stayer, a big galloping horse. I would say this sort of ground and worse is his conditions and he’s going to grow up an awful lot from two to three, I think. Physically, he’s all there, but mentally it’s coming slowly, but nowhere near the final destination.
"He’s a lovely horse, just things are coming together slowly. I Imagine next year he will be a better horse again."
Lead Artist continued his progression with a smooth victory in the Space Blues Darley Stakes at Newmarket.
The only three-year-old in the field, following the morning withdrawal of fellow Juddmonte-owned Skellet, he held off the Cambridgeshire winner Liberty Lane inside the final furlong.
A winner from King's Gambit at Goodwood in the summer, his last performance was meritorious enough when second to multiple Group One winner Kinross at Doncaster.
Kieran Shoemark was content to sit off the pace as Al Mubhir and Liberty Lane set the fractions and when Al Mubhir dropped away to leave Liberty Lane in front, Lead Artist moved menacingly up to challenge.
He went a length up but briefly looked like he may have to really battle as Liberty Lane threatened to make a fight of it.
However, on meeting the rising ground, the 3-1 chance pulled a length and a half clear to give John and Thady Gosden something to look forward to next year.
Peace Man, a stablemate of the winner and having his first run for over a year, was back in third.
