Torcedor found conditions much more to his liking back at Ascot as he ran out a ready winner of the Longines Sagaro Stakes at Ascot.
Fifth in the Gold Cup and second on Champions Day, Jessica Harrington’s stayer obviously likes the terrain in Berkshire, certainly much more than in Dubai where he was last seen trailing home well beaten.
Colm O’Donoghue was very positive on the six-year-old, setting a steady pace before kicking on a long way from home.
Whatever was ailing him in the desert, he was clearly in better heart on this occasion and never looked in any danger.
Mark Johnston’s Time To Study gave chase in vain, while nothing else could get anywhere near as Torcedor ran out a five-length winner.
O’Donoghue said of the 9-4 favourite: “He was the class horse in the race and if he was to run to three-quarters of his best he should have beaten them today. He had the class form coming into the race.
“It was just unfortunate what happened in Dubai, but you are learning all the time. You travel that far and they lose weight and they either recover or don’t, but he has come back in great shape.
“He is from the same family as Yeats and has got that sort of body (big and strong) to him.”
Harrington’s travelling head lad Niall Amond said: “It was a very impressive run. He is back to the form he showed last year in the Gold Cup and on Champions Day as well.
“Colm said he travelled great all the way. He said he quickened twice really and when he went for him he just powered away.
“He is back to top form. Colm was just very happy with him. I’d imagine so (Gold Cup), that’s the normal route to take – come back here for that and then back for Champions Day as well, I’m assuming.”
Johnston said of the runner-up: “I can’t complain with that. He would need a personal best to turn over these horses and he has turned over all bar one of them, so even in relation to the third horse he had a bit to find.
“He has probably run the race of his life and the winner was too good.”
He added: “He is in the Chester Cup, whether he will go there now I will have to see how he comes out of this.
“Things like the Chester Cup and Northumberland Plate are ideal races for him, but we were hoping he would make that little step up into Pattern races.”