York can be the ideal assignment for City Of Troy to reach superstardom

The next chapter of the Troy story could be the best part yet. Aidan O’Brien’s outstanding three-year-old was workmanlike in winning last week’s Eclipse Stakes at Sandown in uninspiring fashion but overcame far from ideal conditions to grind out victory.

City Of Troy won the Derby in good style and his powerful all-conquering connections insists he’s still one of the best they’ve ever had. It’s easy to see why team Ballydoyle haven’t lost the faith. City Of Troy proved he can prevail in a scrap when slightly off the boil at Sandown. Ryan Moore cursed his decision to race on the dead ground up the middle of the track but he managed to repel all challengers to prevail.

Although the manner of the victory was unconvincing and the margin relatively narrow, runner-up Al Riffa never looked like passing City Of Troy at any point, who pulled further clear if anything near the line. His relaxed attitude is mightily impressive and he probably minded himself on ground that was deemed slower than ideal.

It was an awkward, trappy little race that didn’t enhance City Of Troy’s lofty reputation but it didn’t dent it either. Everyone wants outstanding horses to produce a performance to match but that can’t always be the case. Sometimes in top-level sport champions are not at their best but what they can do is still win regardless of what’s going against them. And that’s what City Of Troy achieved.

The opposition was weak by Group One standards but the ground, track, tactics and possibly even the trip were not in the favour of City Of Troy at Sandown. But the future looks bright and there are plenty of attractive targets next for the most exciting horse in training. The Juddmonte International at York was the place where the Paddington bubble burst last season but it could be the place where City Of Troy can truly announce himself as a superstar.

Quick ground on a big, flat and open galloping track over ten furlongs should see City Of Troy in his best light. He could do something similar to what Baaeed did in the 2022 renewal – a sizzling performance that’s been unrivalled since. He’ll need the rain to stay away to be at his best but he can handle soft ground and the Group One at the end of August could be the springboard to a successful end-of-season campaign. He could conceivably move on from York to the Irish Champion Stakes in mid-September and then go off to America for the Breeders’ Cup Classic on the dirt.

Opposition elsewhere looks relatively thin on the ground and O’Brien has similar options in the middle-distance division. Auguste Rodin won the Derby last year and the 2024 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes. A mile and a half seems more suitable than a mile and a quarter but Auguste Rodin really needs a strong gallop and fast ground to be at his best. Anything else and it spells danger. City Of Troy is arguably similar but he has the capacity to scrape to victory in soft-ground conditions and be tactically versatile.

Luxembourg won the Coronation Cup this season and can plunder the odd Group One. He’s too good to be a pacemaker and can also mix it between 10 and 12 furlongs. Los Angeles was third in this year’s Derby but won the Irish equivalent. Moore insists he’s too classy for the St Leger so could he be the one that goes for races like the Arc in France? There is an embarrassment of riches for O’Brien to enjoy over middle distances but make no mistake City Of Troy is the ace in the pack. And York could be the place he really blossoms.

Racing unites in messages of support for Hunt

IT’s still impossible to comprehend such a despicable act but the way the racing community has rallied round commentator John Hunt and his family has been a glimmer of light in this dark time.

Hunt’s wife and two daughters were horribly murdered in their home on Tuesday and when the news broke the following day it stopped me in my tracks. In the fast pace of modern society and a digital age where people have increasingly become nonplussed by horrific events and hardship across the world, it takes something of major significance to stop at an instant, process the news and put everything into perspective.

This unspeakable tragedy was one of those horrible moments that deemed everything else so utterly inconsequential. Hunt is a master of his craft across a variety of broadcasters and excelled in different types of media. Universally respected by his peers, the shock was still palpable by Thursday at the start of the July meeting. ITV Racing commentator Richard Hoiles delivered a pitch perfect message of support and a time where words seem wholly inadequate. Even now, he’s never far from everyone’s thoughts.

Hunt and daughter Amy released a statement on Saturday, saying: ‘The devastation that we are experiencing cannot be put into words.

‘We would like to thank people for their kind messages and for the support we have received in recent days. These have provided great comfort to us for which we are very grateful.

‘As you can imagine, this is an extremely difficult time for us, and we need time and space to come to terms with what has happened and start the grieving process. While this is happening, we would ask that our privacy and that of our wider family and relations be respected at this time. Thank you.’

Racing can be guilty of being too inward and stuck in its own bubble but, in times of grief, its tightly-knit community can pull together and be hugely supportive. That’s what we all must do now and it’s heartening to hear that it’s brought some comfort to Hunt in this horrible time.

Performance of the Week…

WHISTLEJACKET slightly disappointed at Royal Ascot when a beaten odds-on favourite in the Norfolk Stakes but a step up in trip and softer ground helped him win the Group Two July Stakes at Newmarket on Thursday. He wandered when hitting the front but was well in command by then. There should be lots more to come from in the future from this striking juvenile who is very relaxed and physically imposing.

Selection of the day…

ARABIE (11-4, bet365) won in Group Three company over course and distance so can take the step up in grade in his strike in the Prix Robert Papin (Chantilly, 3.30) for trainer Karl Burke.