Mission Central (5/1) bounced back from his G2 Flying Childers Stakes disappointment with a smooth success in the inaugural running of the QIPCO British Champions Day Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes.
Stepping back up to six furlongs, over which his two previous wins had come, Mission Central breezed into contention down the middle of the track under Christophe Soumillon.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained son of No Nay Never opened up daylight once shaken up and had enough in the tank to hold off the fast-finishing Ardisia (18/1) by half a length. The 11/10 favourite Words Of Truth, winner of the G2 Mill Reef Stakes last time out, was a length further back in third.
O’Brien said: “Mission Central is a horse with a lot of ability. He was coming here on the way to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. He ran at Doncaster where I think the ground was a bit slow for him. He loved this nice ground today. I am delighted with him.
“Christophe said he is very fast. He eased him back and they travelled very easy through the race. We think that race will suit him [at the Breeders’ Cup]. He is a gelding, so he is a horse everyone can have fun with.”
Soumillon said: “It was easy. Mission Central jumped out the gates really fast. I was really close to getting cover but we got a little bit bumped after two furlongs and finally I decided to leave him there, he was really relaxed.
“He took a nice blow three furlongs out and, when I asked him to come besides James [Doyle], I was really cruising and then I saw William [Buick] coming on my right quite easily. When I pressed the button and asked him to quicken, he responded so well.
“I think the distance today and the ground helped him a lot compared to the last time in Doncaster. He did it really easily and I was quite impressed by his win today. He is an impressive two-year-old.”
On standing in for Coolmore while Ryan Moore is injured, Soumillon added: “It is like a kid when you bring him to Disneyland, you can’t dream better than that. I am really sorry for what happened to Ryan because nobody deserves something like that but, at the end of the day, it is nothing that bad and we’re going to see him soon, so that’s the most important.
“When you are a horseman and you love riding champions, this job is the best way to find some. I could not imagine one time in my life that I would be able to get in this seat and, for me, it’s a pleasure every day and I am proud of being part of this amazing team.”
Ardisia’s jockey Tom Marquand said: “The winner just nicked that couple of lengths while we were trying to get going. But Ardisia is tough, hardy, and versatile with the ground – it was a real good effort to run the winner as close as he did.”
Charlie Appleby said of Words Of Truth: “William [Buick] just said that the Mill Reef left its mark there on that ground. He has been on the go a long time, since early doors, so it is time for a rest. We will put him away and work back from the Jersey Stakes. He won’t go to Dubai for the winter, I wouldn’t have thought, he will stay here. We might give him a run in something like the Pavilion Stakes here early doors, and then head for the Jersey.”