The Prix Vicomtesse Vigier (G1) produced the kind of finish guaranteed to rouse a large and boisterous crowd, as Caballo de Mar and Oisin Murphy emerged from a wave of five horses covering barely half a length to win.
In doing so, he added a second group 1 to his tally at the same venue as his first in the Prix du Cadran (G1) last October. Paddy Power cut Caballo de Mar into 6-1 (from 8) for the Gold Cup Stakes (G1), and all roads will now lead to Ascot Racecourse.
"My only concern would be if it was really hot like it was last year and the ground was really fast," said winning trainer George Scott. "Anything else he's fine on. He's fine with cut in the ground, he's fine on fast. It's just if it's 'summer' fast it would be a problem. But he stays so well, I actually thought he had a better chance of winning the Gold Cup than this race."
Caballo de Mar missed out by fine margins in both the Dubai Gold Cup (G2T) and the Sagaro Stakes (G3) earlier in the campaign, but showed a huge will to win as he forced his way past the equally brave Santorini Star and Tom Marquand, beaten a short neck.
Santorini Star looked at various stages up the straight as if she might prevail against all comers, while Dylan Browne McMonagle was the last to play his cards on Al Riffa and almost got there, a short head behind the runner-up.
