Aidan O’Brien’s US Navy Flag leads home a 1-2-3-4 for the Ballydoyle maestro in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket racecourse
O'Brien continued his incredible run as he notched up his 24th Group 1 win of the year - just one away from matching Bobby Frankel's record
JUST when you’re used to Aidan O’Brien’s wizardry he magics up another astonishingly feat.
The champion trainer saddled the first FOUR home in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes with US Navy Flag leading the procession.
It was his 24th Group 1 winner of the year. He’s now just one short of American trainer Bobby Frankel’s worldwide record and he could easily better it on Champions’ Day next Saturday.
US Navy Flag was allowed to go off 5-1 despite arriving on the back of a victory in the Middle Park Stakes.
Ryan Moore soon grabbed the lead on the stands’ rail and the pair were never in trouble.
They came two-and-a-half lengths clear of Mendelssohn with stablemates Seahenge and Threeandfourpence following them home.
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Hot favourite Expert Eye – sent off at 4-7 – trailed in last of the nine runners after pulling hard in the early stages.
Moore said: “He’s been a remarkable horse - from the middle of the summer we’ve started to work him out. He’s very tough.
“To win a Middle Park and then to come and win a Dewhurst is great and he was strong at the line. It’s a massive feat again, what Aidan has done.”
O’Brien was typically modest when quizzed about the inevitable breaking of the record for Group 1 wins in a season.
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He said: “It would be massive for everyone but we don't think about it really. It would obviously be a massive achievement for the hundreds of people in our team.
"We would be very honoured but we will take one day at a time.”
Meanwhile Withhold landed a monster gamble in the Cesarewitch.
His backers hardly had a moment’s worry as the 5-1 favourite - available at more than twice those odds in the morning – stormed home in the Newmarket marathon.
Silvestre de Sousa – sure to be crowned champion jockey next Saturday – sent Withhold to the front more than a mile from home by Silvestre de Sousa.
He had far too much for runner-up London Prize and Irish raider Lagostovegas.
Trainer Roger Charlton said: “We’ve been planning this for a long time. It doesn’t usually come off but this time it has. It was a demolition job.”