Qirat causes enormous shock in Sussex Stakes at Goodwood
John and Thady Gosden's Field Of Gold was a 1-3 shot to follow in the hoofprints of his sire Kingman by adding this prestigious Group One contest to his previous top-level victories in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and the St James's Palace Stakes.
The Ralph Beckett-trained Qirat, who was last seen finishing 27th of 30 runners in the Royal Hunt Cup, was supplemented for the race last week at a cost of £70,000 in a bid to ensure the red-hot favourite had a strong gallop to aim at.
But the race did not go to script, with Qirat keeping up the gallop to emerge triumphant under Richard Kingscote, despite the best efforts of Rosallion, who was a neck adrift at the line.
Field Of Gold, meanwhile, had to settle for a laboured fourth, with Henri Matisse third.
Ger Lyons has his sights on America after Lady Iman made a successful Goodwood raid to regain the winning thread in the HKJC World Pool Molecomb Stakes.
The daughter of Starman had dazzled in her opening three outings but lost her unbeaten record to Aidan O'Brien's Beautify at the Curragh in the Airlie Stud Stakes.
Reverting to five furlongs for her first taste of action on British soil, she was sent off the 11-8 favourite and Ryan Moore kept things simple, travelling smoothly in the slipstream of the early leaders before taking over in the final furlong where she was not for catching.
Tim Easterby's consistent Argentine Tango gave chase in vain for an honourable second, with Kevin Ryan's early pacesetter Dickensian in third.
Stable companions Saqqara Sands and Tabiti shared the honours after the judge announced a dead-heat following a thrilling renewal of the HKJC World Pool Oak Tree Stakes.
Tabiti was among the leading contenders for the Group Three contest at 9-2 and with blinkers applied for a second time, the three-year-old set out to make all the running in the hands of Ryan Moore.
Saqqara Sands, a much bigger price at 16-1 under Rossa Ryan, emerged from the pack as the biggest threat inside the final furlong and while she briefly managed to poke her head in front, Tabiti battled back and the Ralph Beckett-trained pair passed the post as one.
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