Oasis lands Middle Park plunge
Gosden, whose Manton string are in red-hot form, is not known on the racecourse for being the greatest optimist.
But despite having won just a Nottingham maiden, Gosden said he had been ‘‘quietly confident about him being hard to beat’’ in this £174,000 Group One contest.
With 6-4 favourite Elusive City drifting in the market, the punters came for Oasis Dream and Tomahawk and it was those two that fought out the finish.
Irish raider Tomahawk took up the running from his stablemate Irrawaddy just after halfway but Jimmy Fortune was always going well aboard the winner and led with over a furlong to run.
Ridden out to the line, he was always holding sway and defeated Tomahawk in a track record time of 1min 09.63secs.
Elusive City, who travelled well throughout the early stages, was caught flatfooted a furlong out but stayed on at one pace to finish third.
‘‘I’ve always liked this horse,’’ said Gosden. ‘‘First time out he was green then next time he got beaten by a very good horse.
‘‘The maiden he won last time was a decent race and he would certainly be the quickest two-year-old I have got.
‘‘A time like 1.09 and change would even have them excited in America but you can forget the Breeders’ Cup.
‘‘Do you know how far the Juvenile is this year?
“It’s a mile and a furlong - now that is going to take some getting, even on the dirt.”
Oasis Dream can be backed at 16-1 for the Sagitta 2000 Guineas but Gosden said: ‘‘He’ll get seven furlongs all right but I wouldn’t be sure about a mile.’’
Gerard Butler, the trainer of Elusive City, was obviously downcast as his colt lost his unbeaten record.
‘‘All credit to John - he has got some cracking two-year-olds this year,’’ Butler said.
‘‘I am disappointed but we’ll be back, possibly this season. Coming down the hill he just didn’t flow like I know he can.’’
Meanwhile Aidan O’Brien’s dual Derby winner High Chaparral is pressing local hope Sulamani for favouritism in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe Lucien Barriere at Longchamp on Sunday.
Sulamani remains Coral’s 7-4 favourite but High Chaparral has been cut to 2-1 from 9-4, while Aquarelliste is an 8-1 shot with Islington and Marienbard both 9-1.
A maximum of 16 runners will now face the starter following the defection yesterday of Nayef and Tau Ceti.
Nayef will instead bid to repeat last year’s victory in the Emirates Airlines Champion Stakes at Newmarket on October 19.
The four-year-old’s trainer Marcus Tregoning, speaking at Newmarket, told attheraces: ‘‘It was a very difficult decision as the ground at Longchamp this weekend was thought to be in his favour but we decided to keep him to a mile and a quarter, which may be his best trip so he comes back here for the Champion Stakes.’’
Tau Ceti’s absence from the Arc line up is not a surprise, as the colt has been supplemented for the Group Two Prix Dollar at Longchamp on Saturday.
The ground at Longchamp continues to ride good to soft (3.3), although it is expected to dry out for the big day.
Italian hope Falbrav will be Milan trainer Luciano d’Auria’s first runner in the Arc.
The Gran Premio di Milano winner is scheduled to leave his Bellinzago base for Paris this evening.
Olivier Peslier’s mount will be out to become the first Italian winner of the Arc since Tony Bin in 1988.
