O’Brien on brink of history after US Navy Flag wins Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket

Ridden by Ryan Moore, the horse led a 1-2-3-4 of O’Brien’s horses, heading home stablemate Mendelssohn, with Seahenge third and Threeandfourpence fourth.

The Group 1 feature race is Britain and Europe’s most prestigious race for juvenile horses, and it was Moore who controlled the pace from the front before securing a two-and-a-half length victory on the winner.

Irish trainer O’Brien was claiming a sixth win – and third consecutive victory – in the race which is a late-season race for two-year-olds before next year’s Classics. In contrast, odds-on favourite Expert Eye, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, finished last.

O’Brien now has 24 top-level wins in 2017 as he closes on the record of 25 set by the late Bobby Frankel. He could potentially equal, or break, the record at Woodbine in Canada on Sunday where he runs Rain Goddess and Idaho in Group One races.

If he fails to succeed there, the next opportunity will perhaps be a fitting one with four chances in races at the British Champions Day at Ascot next Saturday, 21 October.

O’Brien and Moore also combined to successful effect in the day’s opening race, the Zetland Stakes, with Kew Gardens; the winner coming home three and a half lengths clear of Dee Ex Bee in second, with Graffiti Master taking third albeit a further four lengths back.

In addition to the Dewhurst Stakes, another highlight of the second day of Future Champions Day was the Betfred Cesarewitch Heritage Handicap, which was won by favourite Withhold in emphatic fashion. The race, the second leg of the historic Autumn Double and known among racegoers as ‘the Grand National of the Flat’, saw a big field of 34 runners but that proved no obstacle for Withhold and jockey Silvestre de Sousa, much to the delight of trainer Roger Charlton.

De Sousa took charge from the off and Withhold led from start to finish in what was an impressive performance, coming home three and three-quarters of a length ahead of London Prize in second and Lagostovegas in third a distant five lengths back.

Trainer Charlie Appleby and jockey William Buick followed up their success on Friday in the Old Rowley Cup Heritage Handicap by winning the Autumn Stakes with Ghaiyyath.

Buick guided the winner to victory by a length and three-quarters from Dream Today in second and Purser in third.

It is very rare that jockey Frankie Dettori does not feature amongst the winners at the big meetings and he picked up success in the last race of the day, the Darley Club Stakes.

He rode the John Gosden-trained Monarchs Glen to victory by a length and three-quarters from Robin Of Navan in second, with Spark Plug taking third.