Marten Julian’s Weekly Roundup 26 August 2024

Although it was no surprise to see City Of Troy win the Juddmonte International at York last Wednesday, I had never have expected him to make the running, especially given the presence of a pacemaker.

However, in hindsight, it was always going to be on the cards and Wayne Lordan quickly accepted that his supporting role on Hans Andersen was surplus to requirements once Ryan had taken the early initiative.

City Of Troy had made all to win the Dewhurst last October, but when they tried that again in the Guineas he weakened quickly two furlongs from home. He was held up next time out in the Derby, but was still keen in the early stages, as was the case next time in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.

I’ve long believed that one of the hardest things for a jockey is to set the fractions from the front, especially in a top-class race, but Ryan Moore appeared to get them spot on firm in the belief that he was riding a horse with the class to do so.

Aidan O’Brien, who cannot contain his enthusiasm when talking about a horse he believes in, had said after the colt’s runaway success in last year’s Superlative Stakes that City Of Troy was “a very unusual horse” and that “whatever speed you want to go he can keep pushing” and can “sit with anything we have.” He added that the colt was hard to pull up and after the Dewhurst said that he “never gets tired.”

It does, though, require an incredible amount of confidence and belief to ride a colt in such a positive manner after what happened in the Guineas, having been handled with more restraint at Epsom and Sandown.

According to Ruby Walsh’s post-race analysis, City Of Troy set around 12 second fractions for the first five furlongs and then 11.92 for the sixth, 11.24 for the seventh and 11.02 for the eighth, followed by sub-12 second fractions for the last two furlongs, in doing so beating the track record set by Sea The Stars by almost second, and with 4lbs more weight but aided by a slight tailwind.

The final three furlongs were run in a time more than a second quicker than for the opening five furlong sprint.

O’Brien confirmed afterwards that it had not been the plan to make the running: “What happened in the Guineas frightened us and we wanted to drop him in and teach him to relax … but he did it with Ryan unplanned there.”

It may seem churlish to find flaws in this performance, but one slight concern is that in all his victories – even last season – he has displayed a tendency to lug right.

In my experience this can reflect discomfort, pain, or the memory of pain. Alternatively it can be a consequence of the surge of forward momentum.

Regarding the proposed trip to Del Mar for the Classic, this may not be straightforward.

Looking to that race, this long-striding colt will find the tight turns there in sharp contrast to the expanses of the Knavesmire, while he is unlikely to enjoy an uncontested early lead. His action is also suited to quicker ground and he is, as yet, untried on dirt.

Having said all that he may just be better than the others and he is, of course, bred to handle the surface.

As for his status alongside the great performers of recent years, he has not yet beaten the calibre of horse that Frankel, Sea-Bird, Brigadier Gerard or Tudor Minstrel encountered. Then we can also consider the achievements of Ribot, Mill Reef, Dancing Brave, Shergar, Vaguely Noble and Sea The Stars.

City Of Troy can only beat what’s put in front of him, but without going into great detail I can assure you he has not defeated the calibre of horse those named above came up against.

The weights and measures technology employed at Ballydoyle monitored on a horse’s work at home probably records City Of Troy as their best, but on the evidence of the track he may not even be the best colt to have come out of Ballydoyle. It is very easy to get sucked into the euphoria of the moment. We all want to see a superstar.

Just a word in closing about Calandagan.

To my eyes he produced a distinct turn of foot to pass most of the field in the final quarter mile to finish a strong-closing one-length runner-up. Yes the winner would probably have found more if required, but Calandagan dipped under 11secs, recording 10.75sec, for the third-last furlong and was 0.47sec quicker than the winner for the final three.

This was a mighty effort for a horse dropping back from the mile and a half of Royal Ascot’s King Edward VII Stakes and, in my view, he could prove every bit as good as the winner. He is one to keep in mind for the Breeders’ Cup Turf and as a gelding, he could scale great heights in years to come.

Bye for now

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