Military Order denied Lord North a second win in a cracking renewal of the BetUK Winter Derby Stakes at its new home of Southwell.
Now eight, Lord North was having his third run in the race having also been second in 2022 and it has worked well in teeing him up for the Dubai Turf on World Cup night, which he has won for the last three years.
This time he was having his first run since bagging a hat-trick in that Group One and his lack of race sharpness, and the extra distance now the race takes place over 11 furlongs at Southwell, seemingly caught him out.
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Military Order had the benefit of a recent run when second in the trial for this race but this was a definite return to his best form.
Having won the Lingfield Derby Trial last spring, he was sent off a 9-2 chance for the Derby but finished last of the 14 runners and fared little better on his next outing at Chester.
Danny Tudhope always looked confident on Charlie Appleby's charge, though, and having taken up the running from Forest Of Dean, he was able to able to hold off Lord North's late run by a length.
Speaking to Sky Sports Racing, winning jockey Tudhope said: "He's a proper horse this lad and he's always been highly thought of but this was nice.
"He's a bit cute and I told Charlie [Appleby] I'd ride him quietly and not get there too soon.
"I got him to run at the leaders and he's put his head down. The lead horse went off quick and we went racing a long way out."