Like two heavyweight boxing champions Royal Rebel and Persian Punch scrapped it out for the Ascot Gold Cup with the former just getting the best of his older rival in a dramatic finish to the two-and-a-half-mile event yesterday.
The feature race of the day has its detractors but no one in the huge sun-kissed crowd that witnessed the Johnny Murtagh-ridden Royal Rebel's head verdict could fail to have been moved by the spectacle produced by two brave rivals.
Nine-year-old Persian Punch, a veteran of five Gold Cups, had never been better placed than sixth before today but his jockey Richard Quinn made a sudden move six furlongs out when quickening clear of his rivals and poaching a five-length lead.
For a moment the move looked decisive but as the bell rang signalling that the horses were turning for home the advantage had been whittled down to under two lengths with both Royal Rebel and the Frankie Dettori-ridden Marienbard looming up to challenge.
Godolphin's representative dropped away as lack of stamina told and when Mark Johnston's charge, a 9 to 1 chance, swept past Persian Punch it looked all over as a contest.
However, the old stager was having none of it and with Quinn cajoling and urging his charge the old-timer relaunched a challenge which forced Murtagh to galvanise his mount all the way to the line for a head success.
The victory formed the middle leg of a 2024 to 1 treble for Murtagh but the Irishman's efforts were later rewarded with a one-day whip ban.
This was also the second occasion Murtagh has tasted Gold Cup glory, having been successful with Enzeli in 1999. The rider admitted he had to work much harder for this victory. "I was glad to see the line come in the end!"
Murtagh was the man who dominated the rest of the day. Aside from his Gold Cup win, he delivered a brace of 14 to 1 winners in Sahara Slew in the Ribblesdale Stakes and Beekeeper in the King George V Handicap.
Murtagh's vigour as Sahara Slew overhauled Nafisah to score by a head did not sit well with the stewards who gave him the first of two one-day bans (July 4th) for whip offences.
Sahara Slew is trained by John Oxx, whose Sinndar sparked Murtagh's run of big-race success last year with victory in the Derby. And the filly could now be pressed into Classic service herself. "She has clearly done that and if she carries on the way she is at the moment we shall certainly think about the Irish Oaks," said Oxx.
Murtagh produced top weight Beekeeper, trained by Michael Stoute, with a well-timed run to beat Tomasino - representing the Royal Rebel team of Mark Johnston and Peter Savill - by half a length in the King George V Handicap.
Aidan O'Brien registered his fourth win of the week when Johannesburg landed the Norfolk Stakes. Johannesburg, an 11 to 8 chance in the colours of Michael Tabor, led under Michael Kinane inside the final furlong to see off the outsiders Waterside and Lord Merlin by one and quarter lengths.
The trainer, who commutes from Ballydoyle each day after watching three lots limber up, said: "This horse has been working impressively and he won his maiden impressively. His last piece of work was very good."
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