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Ryan Moore and Aidan O'Brien (file photo). Alamy Stock Photo

'From the day we trained him, he was just the best' - O'Brien hails City of Troy

American adventure a possibility after front-running International verdict.

AIDAN Oโ€™BRIEN REITERATED his belief that City Of Troy is the best he has ever trained after watching his superstar colt smash the track record previously held by Sea The Stars in a red-hot Juddmonte International at York.

In a quirky twist, Oโ€™Brienโ€™s The Lion In Winter had also clocked a record time earlier in the afternoon in the Acomb Stakes, with the colt the only progeny of that now excellent stallion housed at Ballydoyle.

Racegoers have never been left in any doubt about the regard in which Oโ€™Brien holds City Of Troy โ€“ after his romp in last yearโ€™s Superlative Stakes he went on record saying the colt was producing work at home he had never previously seen.

Victory in the Dewhurst followed on soft ground and he was a red-hot favourite for the 2000 Guineas but a complete no-show there had even the brightest Coolmore minds puzzled.

Having pulled a rabbit out of the hat 12 months previously when Auguste Rodin won the Derby after similarly bombing out in the Guineas, Oโ€™Brien repeated the feat at Epsom and while City Of Troyโ€™s Eclipse victory failed to set the pulse racing, the very testing ground was put up as the reason.

There was to be no excuse on that score in Yorkshire and there was also no hiding place against Derby runner-up Ambiente Friendly, top-class filly Bluestocking, Royal Ascot winner Calandagan and Japanese St Leger victor Durezza.

Oโ€™Brien ran a pacemaker in Hans Andersen but despite him sporting first-time blinkers, City Of Troy broke quicker and Ryan Moore found himself in front โ€“ and there he stayed, winning by a length from Calandagan.

As ever in racing, the question is always โ€˜what next?โ€™ and being by American Triple Crown winner Justify, the dream of a Breedersโ€™ Cup Classic bid, for which he is 4-1 favourite with Betfair, is very much alive.

Oโ€™Brien said: โ€œThe lads can do whatever they want but we always dreamed he would be a Classic horse. Thatโ€™s what we always dreamed.

โ€œIt wasnโ€™t the plan today (to make the running) but he hit the gates and Ryan just decided he was going along.

โ€œWhat happened in the Guineas, we went away from that (making the running) because he frightened us. As a two-year-old, he was very quick early and he would dominate and keep going, which is what he did today but Ryan gave him a brilliant ride, he controlled it brilliantly and finished off very strong.

โ€œI think weโ€™ll see the best of him when he bounces out very strong and is left to roll, he gets into a massive tempo and keeps going.

โ€œPeople will measure his stride but the length of it in the last two furlongs is incredible really. Thatโ€™s what he was like at two, he just keeps going and Ryan said he went through the line very strong.โ€

While there is still a remote possibility of City Of Troy running in the Prix de lโ€™Arc de Triomphe โ€“ something Moore is keen on โ€“ America seems favourite at this stage.

โ€œI know Ryan would love to do the Arc and anything is possible, but the lads will decide where they want to go. You need a very special horse for the Arc and that is what Ryan always thought he was, but it will be discussed,โ€ said Oโ€™Brien.

โ€œEverything he did from the day we trained him, he was just the best. The first day we ran him this year, it was like he got covered in a swamp, so we didnโ€™t know where we were. We had to re-do everything to get him back doing things right.

โ€œToday it came back out what we were trying to contain at two and do everything to make sure it didnโ€™t happen again, today it just came naturally back out.

โ€œRyan contained him as long as he could in front, he didnโ€™t want to over-race and it was only going to the two marker that he really piled it on, but thatโ€™s what he used to do at two.

โ€œWe wanted to keep him sharp, as we had the Classic in our mind, we didnโ€™t want a slog anywhere. The last day didnโ€™t go right, the ground was soft and the pace was slow, but he still won. Thatโ€™s what we were hoping, beautiful ground and a flat track.

โ€œItโ€™s incredible the condition of the track, when we walked it, it didnโ€™t feel good to firm, theyโ€™ve done an incredible job with the cover of grass.โ€

One of the Coolmore triumvirate, Michael Tabor, will be part of the decision-making process and he was in no doubt City Of Troy is the best they have had.

He said: โ€œThat was better than anything, and I mean anything!

โ€œHe never looked like getting beaten and thereโ€™s much more in the tank. Heโ€™s a special horse, as Aidan has always said.โ€

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    Mute v5OTKkXN
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    Aug 21st 2024, 7:20 PM

    City of Troy one of the most brilliant and gorgeous looking horses of all time and they put up a picture of two lads in the story rather than this beautiful thoroughbred

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    Mute Leighton Cullen
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    Aug 21st 2024, 8:22 PM

    They have had some amazing horses Galileo , George Washington , Yeats even a few years back St Marks Basilica. To say City of Troy is the best he has ever trained is some endorsement. Now will he be as good at Stud or not as thatโ€™s were the big big money is.

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    Mute v5OTKkXN
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    Aug 21st 2024, 8:27 PM

    @Leighton Cullen: his first year in stud will have them minted anyway. And if he produces a winner of the dewhurst or Middle park or futurity think how much his stud earnings would be in year three

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    Mute munsterman
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    Aug 21st 2024, 9:10 PM

    @Leighton Cullen: aiden says that about every top horse heโ€™s trained, people just take his pr job with a pinch of salt. City of troy is a damn good horse though. The 2yo that won the Acomb looks a beast too

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    Mute v5OTKkXN
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    Aug 21st 2024, 9:29 PM

    @munsterman: ya he was class The Lion In Winter. He made the fav look ordinary (mad to think fav cost โ‚ฌ2.3 million)

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    Mute Square
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    Aug 22nd 2024, 1:16 AM

    Some comeback after what happend on may

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