Breeders' Cup: Victoria Road beats Silver Knott in Juvenile Turf thriller at Keeneland as Aidan O'Brien celebrates double
Victoria Road (5/1) beat favourite Silver Knott and Nagirroc to win the Grade One Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland on Friday; William Buick met traffic on Charlie Appleby's star and was denied in a dramatic photo finish
Saturday 5 November 2022 07:09, UK
Victoria Road snatched success in the final strides of a dramatic final race on day one of the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland.
The Aidan O'Brien-trained colt cut through a busy field in the $1m Grade One Juvenile Turf, surging forward at the same time as Charlie Appleby's Silver Knott battled out from a boxed-in spot on the inside rail.
Silver Knott appeared to have grabbed the glory as he edged in front once he found space, but Victoria Road was flying down the outside.
- Breeders' Cup day one recap - O'Brien doubles up at Keeneland
- Buick magic gives Appleby four in a row at Breeders' Cup
The two horses tussled in the dying strides of the one-mile race, with the naked eye barely able to pick out Victoria Road and Ryan Moore crossing the line first in the tightest of finishes.
Moore said: "We were in a nice spot when the pace steadied and they weren't going mad down the back straight.
"All the horses were in each other's way and he managed to thread a gap.
"He's been really progressive and has a lot of class."
That completed a dramatic double on the night for O'Brien and Moore after Meditate's dominant display in the Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Settled at the rear of the field under Moore, the O'Brien-trained two-year-old was patiently ridden from a relatively wide draw in stall 10.
After the final bend, Moore asked the filly to go up a gear and she answered readily, sweeping past the leaders to breeze to a facile win.
Meditate's victory saw her price for next year's 1000 Guineas contract, with Betfair going 8/1 from 16s, while she is a 7/1 shot with Coral.
Buick and Appleby also enjoyed victory at Keeneland as Mischief Magic came from last to first to claim the Juvenile Turf Sprint prize.
