‘Faultless, impressive’ City Of Troy leaves rivals ‘cooked’ in awesome Southwell workout ahead of Breeders’ Cup bid

CITY OF TROY was labelled ‘faultless’ and ‘impressive’ as he came from last to cruise home in his crucial Southwell workout – although some bookies were less impressed.

The Derby, Coral-Eclipse and Juddmonte-winning superstar is aiming to become the first horse ever to win the Epsom feature and the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

The Derby hero looked very well in himself ahead of his Southwell workout

Team Ballydoyle had flown their own stalls and even their own ambulance over for the public session

City Of Troy really got going late on, suggesting the 1m2f Classic trip on dirt will be to his liking

City Of Troy was at Southwell to get something of a taste for the ground at Del Mar in California ahead of his shot at history on Saturday, November 2.

The awe-inspiring three-year-old colt was met with cheers by the thousands who packed into Southwell to see him.

And it was clear those watching were impressed after he came from last to leave his much, much lower-rated rivals toiling in the straight.

Jason Weaver said for Sky Sports Racing: “That was extremely comfortable, wasn’t it?

“They didn’t hang around. They went a proper gallop early on down the back.

“One of the lead horses was completely cooked coming around that top turn.”

While Luke Harvey said: “I would take out of that how strongly he ran through the line, Ryan couldn’t pull him up.

“You need to stay in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, often they’re treading water at the end. I was really, really impressed.”

BoyleSports make City Of Troy 5-2 favourite to claim the Classic, which O’Brien has come close to winning with Giant’s Causeway.

The great Galileo also had a Southwell spin before going for America’s most prestigious race.

Spokesman Brian O’Keeffe said: “Excitement is starting to build ahead of City Of Troy’s American expedition and punters are really starting to get behind an Aidan O’Brien dream at Del Mar.”

He’s the same price with Coral, with the firm’s David Stevens saying: “Connections seemed happy with City Of Troy’s Southwell experience, and although the Classic itself will be an entirely new test for the Derby winner, he will head to Del Mar as big race favourite, certainly on this side of the Atlantic.”

But Paddy Power took a different viewing, pushing him out to 3-1 from 11-4.

Big questions were asked of City Of Troy after he flopped completely in the 2000 Guineas having been sent off odds-on favourite.

The son of Justify was unbeaten as a two-year-old and had the world before his hooves.

But he bounced back from that Newmarket horror show with a thumping Derby victory.

He was less convincing claiming the Coral-Eclipse over 1m2f next before showing his old self in a brilliant showing in York’s Juddmonte.

While victorious on everything from good to firm to soft at home, City Of Troy will now have to prove himself on the Del Mar dirt.

But his sire is the Triple Crown-winning Justify, so hopes are high he can handle it.

And there was nothing in his Southwell workout to suggest it will be too much of a problem.

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