The 2018 Melbourne Cup hero Cross Counter won the Dubai Gold Cup (3200m) at his next start five months later, and Tower Of London would not be out of place in the famous 2-miler at Flemington judging by his performance in Saturday’s edition of the Group II staying feature at Meydan on World Cup night.
Ridden by Ryan Moore for the Coolmore connection, the 4-year-old son of Galileo came with a barnstorming fihish to defeat Al Nayyir (Dubawi) by two lengths with Trawlerman (Goldern Horn) a further one and a half lengths back in third.
It was the third stakes win for the Aidan O’Brien-trained son of Galileo and his fifth from ten starts.
OTI Racing’s Sevenna's Knight (Camelot) finished solidly for sixth.“He ran a great race, he’s still immature," jockey Mickael Barzalona said:
Nothing could be taken from the winner.
“You would have to be very impressed with that,” Aidan O’Brien said.
“He has become a very classy horse. He is very pacey. He quickens so well. Ryan said there wasn’t much pace on, but he was happy to wait with him like he did in Saudi last month. He settles well, then quickens. And he loves that fast ground on a flat track. I am not sure what the plan will be for him. I don’t know if he would get the trip in an Ascot Gold Cup. He might, though. Ryan said he could drop back to a mile and a half, too, so we have options with him. Races like the Coronation Cup or the Hardwicke Stakes we could think about. Ryan was very confident beforehand. We felt he and Auguste Rodin were our best chances of the day, and it was great to start with a win.”
Bred by Lynch Bages Ltd & Camas Park Stud, Tower Of London is a brother to the Irish Derby winner Capri and a trio of Group III winners Cypress Creek, Brazil and Passion.
Tower Of London’s sister Sovereign Parade is the dam of Commissioning (Kingman) the Champion 2YO Filly in GB in 2022, whose highlight came in the Group 1 Newmarket Fillies' Mile.
