TRAINER David O'Meara, originally from Fermoy in Co Cork but based in England, saddled Mondialiste to win the Arlington Million in Chicago on Saturday evening.

Winner of the Woodbine Mile last year, the five-year-old also bagged himself a free ticket to this year's Breeders' Cup in Santa Anita.

Aidan O'Brien's Deauville, ridden by Seamie Heffernan, made a bold bid to become just the second three-year-old to win the historic race and follow up his Belmont Derby success but he was just run out of it close home and finished third from a wide draw.

Kasaqui split the two Europeans while Godolphin's Tryster only briefly flattered before fading out of contention close home.

Mondialiste, who was second to Time Test at York last time out, now has an automatic entry into either the Breeders' Cup Classic or the Mile.

Roger Charlton's Decorated Knight was declared a non-runner earlier in the day.

"It couldn't have worked out better," said Tudhope. "We'd gone over the race so many times but you don't know how it's going to go. It couldn't have gone better, though.

"He seems to love it out here, he thrives out here. It's amazing to win a race like this my first time here, it's amazing for everyone at the yard."

O'Meara told NBC: "We stepped him up to a mile and a quarter at York and he ran a really good race behind Time Test and once we saw he handled the trip this race was in the back of our minds.

"Once he ran so well over that, the fact he ran so well when we travelled him last year, we were always going to come.

"He won at Woodbine last year and that was a 'win and you're in' for the Breeders' Cup and he was second in the Mile so I don't so a reason we won't come back again. The owner will have the final say."

Mondialiste, a six-year-old by Galileo, was originally trained in France by Andre Fabre and was purchased by current connections at the end of 2014. He began his British career by finishing second in the 2015 Lincoln and has continued to improve under O'Meara's care.

BROWN & GEROUX DOMINATE

The other three stakes races on the card were dominated by French-born jockey Florent Geroux. He combined with New York trainer Chad Brown to win the Secretariat Stakes (Beach Patrol) and the Beverly D (Sea Calisi), while Geroux was also on board the Mike Maker-trained Da Big Hoss who won the American St Leger.

Beach Patrol just touched off Aidan O'Brien's Long Island Sound after a thrilling duel in the home stretch of the Secretariat Stakes.

Seamie Heffernan hit the front turning into the straight but Geroux looked to be travelling much better on the winner.

However, Long Island Sound did not fold under pressure and Beach Patrol had to dig deep to claim a narrow victory with William Buick third on American Patriot.

Geroux told NBC: "When I asked him to go he was great. The horse inside me wasn't giving up but he showed a lot of heart."

CLONDAW WARRIOR

Heffernan also had to settle for second place aboard Clondaw Warrior who was no match for odds-on favourite Da Big Hoss in the American St Leger.

Willie Mullins' ultra-versatile performer is in the form of his life as a nine-year-old and has taken his owners to all the big meetings.

Seamie Heffernan only had one rival behind him throughout but when he asked his mount to quicken in the short straight the Galway Hurdle winner found plenty for pressure.

Unfortunately for connections the Michael Maker-trained favourite, one of three big winners on the day for Florent Geroux, had quickened past William Buick on Wasir and Clondaw Warrior had too much to do. Wasir stayed on for third.

"He just loves to win, he always finds a way, it doesn't matter where he is in the race," said Geroux on NBC. "I got a great trip and no-one tried any funny business, which can happen when you ride a favourite.

"Earlier I won a race wire-to-wire and this time I can from off the pace, the track is great."

Connections of the winner and the runner-up are now considering a tilt at the Melbourne Cup. Mullins came within a whisker of winning the Cup last year with Max Dynamite.

The trainer told twinspires.com: "He jumped very slowly (at the start) and he looked like he wanted every bit of two miles there. When he's closing on the Belmont Gold Cup winner (Da Big Hoss) that has to mean he's good enough to go Melbourne.

WELL BEATEN

The Aidan O'Brien pair of Ballydoyle and Coolmore were both well beaten behind Sea Calisi in the Beverly D Stakes.

Both were well positioned for much of the race but when it started in earnest Coolmore was first to crack and while Ballydoyle stayed in contention a little longer, she, too, had no say in the finish.

Chad Brown's Sea Calisi was a strong local favourite but had plenty of ground to make up, however, the former Francois Doumen-trained filly showed smart acceleration to win.

It was a fourth success on the card and a third graded win for jockey Florent Geroux, who said: "She's a very nice filly, distance isn't a problem, she could go even longer. We had the pacemaker today and it was just a question of pulling the trigger."

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