Emaraaty Ana (11/1) held off the late thrust of even-money favourite Starman to land the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock.
The winner was completing a treble on the day for Andrea Atzeni and was hard on the bridle when going to the front approaching with a furlong-and-a-half to run.
In contrast the market leader was flat to the boards and seemingly going nowhere before gathering momentum inside the distance, closing the leader down all the way to the line.
However it came in time for the short-head winner, who broke the course record in the process.
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Winning trainer Kevin Ryan said: “He deserves it, we’ve started riding him patiently and the horse has come alive for doing that. I’ve had huge faith in the horse and I’m delighted he’s done it. He’s as good a horse as I’ve trained – his work in a morning is brilliant. All my team at home have done a great job, we’re delighted.”
The winner was introduced at 16/1 for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint by Saturday's sponsors, and Ryan signalled Del Mar as the target – for a race he won last year with Glass Slippers.
He added: “I think that’s where you have to go now.”
Atzeni added: "He's a horse that everyone kept faith with throughout his career. I can't tell you what it means to me to win another Group One, it's been a couple of years since the last one. Things can go a bit quiet but it's al bout the horses and I had a very good one underneath me here."
A dejected Ed Walker said of Starman: “There’s no excuses, it’s disappointing.”
