Landseer strikes in America

Landseer, trained at Ballydoyle by Aidan O’Brien, made a successful American debut last night, taking the Grade One Shadwell Keeneland Turf Mile Stakes.

The French 2000 Guineas winner, partnered by Edgar Prado, saw off a quality field in the $600,000 (€612,000) event at the Keeneland track.

Landseer outlasted Touch Of The Blues by a neck with the Arlington Million winner, and ex-Henry Cecil inmate, Beat Hollow, back in third.

The son of Danehill has been somewhat in the shadow of stablemate Rock Of Gibraltar this season, finishing second to him in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot before being tried over a sprinting trip in the July Cup, when he finished fourth.

Kent Desormeaux rode the runner-up and he believes Landseer’s win bodes well for Rock Of Gibraltar’s planned Breeders’ Cup tilt.

He told the Thoroughbred Times: “I guess this gives us a good idea of how good Rock Of Gibraltar is.

“He didn’t win all those races over there by chance. This horse (Landseer) is tough and Rock of Gibraltar beat this horse by one and three-quarters lengths last time they ran.”