QIPCO BRITISH

CHAMPIONS LONG

DISTANCE CUP

(GROUP 2)

THE day may have belonged principally to Gosden and Dettori with two Group 1 wins but O’Brien and Moore were not far behind, the supremely game Order Of St George having finally worn down the opposition in the opening Group 2 Long Distance Cup over two miles.

On his Arc fourth, Order Of St George looked the business here but 4/5 was plenty short enough, bearing in mind his defeat in the race 12 months ago.

Nor were his supporters short of worries as Jessica Harrington’s 25/1 shot Torcedor took over two furlongs from home and went a couple of lengths clear. Eventual third Stradivarius was struggling to get to him and so was the favourite, having been briefly outpaced.

However, Moore picked him up, straightened him out as he wandered under pressure and finally drove him to the front, Order Of St George getting up by half a length to a thunderclap of approval.

Credit goes to fourth home Mount Moriah (66/1), who led seven furlongs out and kicked hard for home with three furlongs to travel. For a few seconds it looked as if the afternoon might start with a major shock but he was finally reeled in, having covered himself in glory.

The same cannot be said of Gold Cup winner Big Orange, who ran no race at all. He had been absent for some time and the ground was probably too soft for him.

“Order Of St George is unbelievably tough and hardy and Ryan gave him a brilliant ride,” O’Brien said. “Sometimes the line comes too quick but he never stops and I never think he’s beaten. He’s finished for the year now but I’m hoping he stays in training. Nobody’s told me that he doesn’t!”

Harrington inherited Torcedor from David Wachman last autumn.

“He’s never stopped improving,” she said. “He’ll have a break, then come back for the Vintage Crop and the Gold Cup. Whether he’d have enough tactical speed for a Melbourne Cup I’m not so sure.”