Delacroix upholds family honour with gutsy success

Delacroix came out on top in a prolonged battle with Stanhope Gardens to win the Emirates Autumn Stakes for Ryan Moore and Aidan O’Brien.

It was a first victory in the Group Three contest for O’Brien, who for once was in need of a little pick-me-up.

He was forced to rule odds-on favourite The Lion In Winter out of the Dewhurst Stakes before the sun had risen and then just as racing began, news broke that his stable star City Of Troy is to be retired after the Breeders’ Cup.

This meeting is all about finding new stars, though, and Delacroix, having his fourth outing, has already shown that he will be competing in some of the big events next season.

By Dubawi out of the late, great racemare Tepin, his half-sister Grateful won a Group One in France last weekend.

Moore sent Delacroix (15-8 favourite) into the lead going into the dip when Wolf Of Badenoch faded, but he was briefly headed by Rossa Ryan on Ralph Beckett’s Stanhope Gardens.

It has taken something special to get the better of Ryan and Beckett of late, but Moore always looked confident that this time he would get the upper hand and he went on to win by a neck.

The winner was paying a huge compliment to Jessica Harrington’s Green Impact, who has already beaten Delacroix twice.

Betfair cut Delacroix to 8-1 from 20s for the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster.

“He’s improving and learning and he got a bump early which just unnerved him a little bit,” said O’Brien.

“He’s progressive and that’s why we are racing him and keeping him busy and Ryan was much happier with him today. He’s a tough, hardy horse who looks like he’s going to get a trip, he’s going to get middle-distance next year.

“You have to be very happy with him and Ryan said he could be a Futurity Trophy horse if we want, so we will see how he is and how it goes.

“I think next year, a mile upwards will be no problem; he’s a big horse, he’s learning and he’s obviously got a great pedigree.”