Jessica Harrington’s Torcedor a comfortable winner of the Longines Sagaro Stakes at Ascot
Torcedor finished second to Order Of St George in the Long Distance Cup on Champions Day and Jessica Harrington's improving stayer went one better on his return to Ascot with an impressive victory in the Sagaro Stakes.
TORCEDOR shook off a disappointing effort in Dubai to run out a convincing winner of the Longines Sagaro Stakes at Ascot.
Jessica Harrington's six-year-old trailed home last in the Dubai Gold Cup, but bounced back to his best at the Berkshire track to make all under a positive ride from Colm O'Donoghue.
The pair kicked on a long way from home but never looked in any danger, with Torcedor beating Mark Johnston's Time To Study by five lengths.
Harrington's talented stayer clearly likes the Berkshire course, having finished fifth in last season's Ascot Gold Cup and second on Champions Day, with a return at Royal Ascot seemingly likely after this classy performance.
O'Donoghue said of the 9-4 favourite: "He was the class horse in the race and if he was to run to three-quarters of his best he should have beaten them today. He had the class form coming into the race.
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"It was just unfortunate what happened in Dubai, but you are learning all the time. You travel that far and they lose weight and they either recover or don't, but he has come back in great shape.
"He is from the same family as Yeats and has got that sort of body (big and strong) to him."
Harrington's travelling head lad Niall Amond said: "It was a very impressive run. He is back to the form he showed last year in the Gold Cup and on Champions Day as well.
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"Colm said he travelled great all the way. He said he quickened twice really and when he went for him he just powered away.
"He is back to top form. Colm was just very happy with him. I'd imagine so (Gold Cup), that's the normal route to take - come back here for that and then back for Champions Day as well, I'm assuming."
Torcedor is on June 21, with Aidan O'Brien's Order Of St George the 3-1 favourite.