SCANDINAVIA CONFIRMED HIS superiority over Trawlerman to defend his Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup title in fine style at Goodwood.

Aidan O’Brien’s son of Justify and his John and Thady Gosden-trained adversary had served up a thriller in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot and another titanic tussle looked on the cards on the Sussex Downs.

Sent off the 6-5 favourite, Ryan Moore was always hot on the heels of Trawlerman who headed affairs in the hands of William Buick, in a race that had early drama when Amiloc unshipped Hector Crouch leaving the stalls.

Amiloc would again play a key role after Buick had set sail for home heading downhill into the straight and with the two Ascot rivals knuckling down for another battle, the loose Amiloc cut across the pair, checking Trawlerman’s momentum and allowing Scandinavia to scorch clear.

He galloped on eight and a half lengths into the distance as Trawlerman finished second once again to his Ballydoyle foe, with Roger Varian’s Rahiebb third.

“I’m delighted, I’m thankful to everyone around him. He’s a great horse, he’s a real top stayer,” said O’Brien.

“We were a bit worried coming to Ascot because we’ve never been two and a half (miles) and you’re never sure until you do it.

“We felt he’s really gone the right way since Ascot. It’s a great race to win, very prestigious.

“It’s great that Trawlerman came and all the horses were there, it’s what we all want to see – win, lose or draw.

“We thought that Trawlerman was going to make it, we were hoping that he would so Ryan could just follow him as he did in Ascot.

“It was going to be very simple, was he good enough or not? Obviously there was a little bit of drama, Trawlerman was a bit slowly away and Ralph’s (Beckett) horse (Amiloc) was loose.

“It was a bit eventful, but it was still a great race at a great track. It was a spectacle to watch and going two miles, you get a great chance to look at it and take it in.”

 “He’s a high cruising speed, he relaxes and finds his momentum. Ryan said he finds the minute he starts asking him, he starts coming alive underneath him.

Of Scandinavia’s future, O’Brien added: “He’s very sound, he loves what he’s doing and the lads love having him.

“When you get a horse like this that can race year in, year out, that’s what makes it special.

“They’re very hard to find, impossible really. I would imagine he’ll keep racing as long as he stays safe and sound.

“He could (emulate Yeats, four-time winner of the Gold Cup), he’s a natural cruiser. He’s easy to train, he’s a great mind and as he’s by Justify, he has that great rhythm.”

Moore said: “It was nice for him to have a horse to follow all the way, he probably thinks he got beat!

“His stride never shortened, he just kept galloping all the way to the line – what more can you say?

“He likes fast ground, he’s a high-class horse and hopefully there’s a few more good days to come.”