City Of Troy’s win at the Coral Eclipse on Saturday mirrored England’s performance at the European football championships – securing the result but failing to impress. Similarly to the way things turned out for England, the conditions under which City Of Troy had to perform were not ideal. His Sandown triumph was hardly remarkable, marred by a rain-soaked field that saw several competitors, including his fellow stablemate Hans Andersen, out of contention.
As an accomplished performer on soft turf, evidenced by his impressive Dewhurst win the previous year that ignited comparisons to Frankel, witnessing City Of Troy’s struggled victory against Al Riffa was somewhat deflating. Speculation roams about the possible result if White Birch, the noted Irish racehorse, hadn’t been compelled to forgo the event. City Of Troy’s jockey, Ryan Moore, equally pointed to the damp conditions and his risky decision of taking the centre track as factors in the steep competition.
Keeping in mind the foremost criteria of results, City Of Troy did succeed to overcome his rival, carrying an extra 10lbs, even as the outcome was far less spectacular than expected. Moore confessed his anticipation of a much larger winning margin for the star colt, hinting at the promise of a better performance next time.
Upcoming races, York’s International, the Irish Champion Stakes in Leopardstown, and his much-anticipated participation in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar, may prove the Coolmore’s team ‘watch-this-space’ posture right. Anxiety isn’t shown by trainer, O’Brien’s countenance, yet the stark reality remains that City Of Troy has showcased only one truly noteworthy performance in three races this season, raising questions regarding the high praises showered upon him.
Although John Magnier, the epitome of business acumen in horse racing and the pioneer of contemporary promotion in the thoroughbred industry, thought it prudent to downplay the sales pitch on Saturday.
“Our expectations weren’t met, to be truthful, and we’re not one for making excuses, there’s no call for it when the horse takes the race. But with a quarter of all runners withdrawn due to the terrain, it becomes clear this horse has an exceptional gait. His movement is quite remarkable,” expressed the magnate of Coolmore.
He further noted the pointlessness of discussions about the horse. “We end up looking silly, especially in the aftermath of the 2000 Guineas. It was a real fiasco”, he remarked before challenging his star horse.
“The onus now rests on this horse. It’s akin to him undressing and getting into bed; he has to take control. The year is long, we’d simply prefer to see him run on a ground that suits him. He’s lost only once in his life and yet we’re grumbling, which should give an impression of our expectations”, he continued.
Maybe it’s a good thing that City Of Troy is oblivious to the performance pressure, but the weight will unquestionably be on his shoulders the next time he races.
Given how convincingly O’Brien’s confidence in the progeny of Justify was confirmed at Epsom, nobody will understate the prospect of a mesmerising performance that meets the clamour.
However, a meeting with his stable peer, Auguste Rodin, seems unlikely. Even if seasoned contenders such as White Birch, Passenger and the Dante victor, Economics, confront City Of Troy at York or Leopardstown, it wouldn’t be classified as an easy target.
One seasoned standout unlikely to contend with City Of Troy is the recent Pretty Polly victor, Bluestocking. Her coach, Ralph Beckett, is setting his sights on the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood before taking part in the Yorkshire Oaks.