Timeform's man on the course David Cleary with his early thoughts on City Of Troy's Coral-Eclipse win.
City of Troy had to work rather harder than the market and form-book suggested in becoming the first Derby winner to follow up in the Eclipse since Golden Horn. He faced a two-furlong shorter trip and softer ground, while he had little cover early in a race run at an even gallop. All of those are possible factors in a performance that looks initially to be some way below the level that he ran to at Epsom.
City of Troy's stable-companion Hans Andersen set the pace before City of Troy took over two furlongs out. His rider Ryan Moore had to work quite hard to maintain the advantage as the year-older Al Riffa came through from the rear to chase him in the final furlong. There were 11 lb between the pair on adjusted Timeform ratings, but just a length between them at the line. Ghostwriter, who had made the frame in two classics, was a length further back in third.
While City of Troy showed his willingness in front when pressed, he will have disappointed some. While he didn't run to the same high level as at Epsom, that effort remains the one on which to judge him. He remains a warm favourite for the International at York next month and is still very much the one to beat.
