Defiantly (11/4F) made amends for a head defeat at Royal Ascot with a dour staying performance in the Coral Goodwood Handicap over two and a half miles.
Having been positioned behind pace-setter St Mawes in a strung-out field, Dylan Browne McMonagle sent the Ascot Stakes runner-up for home with over half a mile remaining.
Defiantly poured it on thereafter and never looked vulnerable to the closers as he galloped to a three-length victory. Berkshire Sundance (28/1) was second, with Gooloogong (100/1) five lengths further back in third.
Trained by Joseph O’Brien, Defiantly is owned by an Australia-based syndicate and could be set for Stakes races after winning today off a mark of 98.
Browne McMonagle said: “Defiantly is a strong stayer. After his run at Ascot, he was always going to get the trip well. This is probably a bit of a faster track and, from halfway, you are running downhill, so I was keen to get rolling and get him into top gear. I knew if I put a few lengths between them from the half-mile down to the two, they would do well to get him because he was not going to be stopping.
“That was one thing Joseph O’Brien said: get him wound up plenty early and make plenty of use of him. He was spot on and the horse was not for catching. He is not that slow, he is just very lazy and laid back, and the more I ask him, the more he finds. I feel stepping up to this trip is a big help for him because he is able to get comfortable and into a good rhythm.
“I am not sure [about the Melbourne Cup]. I am sure the Australian owners and connections would probably be keen to do that, but I think this fellow is going to keep improving at this trip. He probably could come back to two miles, which would not be a problem for him, because he was very comfortable through the race and, every time you ask him, he is always there for you. I am sure he will be able to work his way up to a better grade as well.”
Asked about Cup races next season, he added: “Very possible. He is improving and, when these horses keep getting better, you never know where their limit is. He is only a young horse, inexperienced at these type of distances, so I would expect him to keep getting better.”
Co-owner Rob McGuinness said: “I actually vetted the horse for Australia Bloodstock and liked him – it is the first horse I have kept a share in. He is just a real, genuine one-paced stayer. He has not got any acceleration, but he just keeps going. Joseph trained him for Royal Ascot to just keep going and he has done the same again today.
“We know the horse has not got an extra turn of foot, so we had to take the speed out of all the other horses. The plan was always to take the sprint out of everything else and keep on going because we knew he would not stop.
“I am over here as I do some work for Henry [Dwyer], so good luck for Asfoora today, and I have got some other clients over here. It is a great, great festival – up there in the top three that I have been to. I am here to enjoy it and have a great time. It is a bonus to have a share in a horse that has won.”
Oisin Murphy said of Berkshire Sundance: “A career-best effort. I am very happy with him. I thought the winner stayed very well.”
Gooloogong’s trainer George Baker said: “I just love this horse. Under both codes, he has been a star for us. Today was a bit of a test to see if he would get two and a half miles, because if you get two and a half miles on the Flat, it means we have some lovely options over hurdles as well. Looking at the horses he has finished in and around, you would have to think of races like the Cesarewitch. He is just a really cool horse and we can make some fun plans now.”