Vinnie Roe third as Gold Cup goes West
French-trained horses took their third race of the Royal Ascot meeting - their best tally for over a decade - as Olivier Peslier brought the well-supported winner home to beat Distinction by a neck.
The Elie Lellouche-trained six-year-old travelled powerfully up the straight and was produced to perfection to lead inside the final furlong and edge out the 33-1 runner-up.
Vinnie Roe was another five lengths away.
Johnny Murtagh struck for home on Distinction with three furlongs to run, but Peslier never panicked and made smooth progress to join issue two from home.
Even when it looked as if Distinction had stolen a march, Peslier looked unflappable and gradually eroded the gap without having to seriously stoke the fires.
Westerner became the first horse to take the big prize across the Channel since Sagaro completed a hat-trick of victories in 1977.
It was a poignant success for owner Alec Wildenstein, who said: “For my father (the late Daniel) and my family, this is wonderful. This horse is a friend. He is a really wonderful horse, stronger than when he finished second last year.”
Wildenstein now plans to drop the horse back in trip to a mile and a half, with the Grosser Preis von Baden a possible target en route to the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Vinnie Roe’s rider Pat Smullen said: “He was travelling beautifully throughout the race and when Johnny Murtagh sent his horse for home I was quite happy, because I was getting a good lead off him.
“But to be totally honest I thought he just ran out of stamina towards the line. The winner quickened up like an exceptionally good horse.
“It will be a long time before I ride as good a stayer. This is his last year and he will be sadly missed by me when he goes.
“He’s got me around the world and won five Group Ones for me - and they were all Classics. He’s been a tremendously good horse.
“I’d have loved him to win this race and be a Gold Cup winner, but it wasn’t to be.”
Trainer Dermot Weld was as delighted with his charge as Smullen, despite the defeat.
“He just didn’t stay, as I feared he might not - that’s why I put off running him in the race for three years!” he said.
“He looks as if he is one-paced, but really he’s not, it’s just that it’s his guts that’s getting him home in third. Pat said that he went from cruising to empty in a matter of strides.
“I think a mile and a half or a mile and three-quarters is ideal and I suspect he may end up in Melbourne again, probably after the Irish St Leger.”
Both Distinction and Vinnie Roe are 14-1 chances for the Melbourne Cup with Cashmans, while Paddy Power offer Westerner at the same price for the Arc.
Papineau, who had beaten Westerner in the Gold Cup 12 months ago, turned in a disappointing effort and beat only one rival home.
Kieren Fallon got on the scoresheet when he came from last to first on Indigo Cat in the Hampton Court Stakes.
Aidan O’Brien’s flashy chestnut was soon outpaced and struggling in the extended 10-furlong Listed event and his prospects of victory looked unpromising.
But Fallon kept persevering and Indigo Cat responded, making rapid headway inside the last quarter of a mile to hit the front well inside the final furlong.
In the end the 3-1 favourite won in convincing fashion by two lengths from Belenus.
O’Brien said: “Kieren gave him a great ride. The horse is still learning and is getting better with every run.
“I’m not sure the pace they went suited any horse, but Kieren gave him great confidence.
“I’ll have to speak to him about where he runs next, but he’s in the Irish Derby along with Gypsy King, Scorpion and Almighty, and they are all possibles.”
