Ghaiyyath made every yard of the running to win the Hurworth Bloodstock Coronation Cup at Newmarket, the first Group One of the season in Britain.
When he's good, Charlie Appleby's charge is very good and the 11/10 favourite never saw another rival under William Buick having been clear at halfway.
However connections of Investec Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck and staying superstar Stradivarius will be delighted with their returns, the pair finishing second and third respectively.
The runner-up finished to great effect under Ryan Moore to get within two-and-a-half lengths of the winner at the line while despite being off the bridle with half a mile to run, Stradivarius ran a great Gold Cup trial for Royal Ascot.
Betfair and Paddy Power cut the winner to 8/1 from 12s for the Prince Of Wales's Stakes and Coral-Eclipse with Stradivarius still 10/11 for a third win in the Gold Cup. Sky Bet are 6s from 12/1 about Ghaiyyath for the Ascot showpiece with Anthony Van Dyck 14/1 from 25.
Hurworth Bloodstock Coronation Cup result
Ghaiyyath (11/10 favourite)
Anthony Van Dyck (13/2)
Stradivarius (4/1)
Appleby said: "All credit to the team and many thanks to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed for allowing us to keep Ghaiyyath in training. To have five-year-olds around is a treat for any stable, but to have one the calibre of him is pretty special.
"He's some galloper and I knew after the first quarter-mile when William had him in that rhythm that it would take a good horse to get to him and there were many in the field.
"He was on it from flag-fall, but I could see he was in a rhythm we'd seen before. His mid-race move just kills them and it's great for him to get his first British Group One win.
"He's obviously effective at this trip, but we know he's not short of speed and we may now take him to the Eclipse at Sandown which is a race we like.
"One thing we've learnt about Ghaiyyath is that he is a top-of-the-ground horse, when in the early stages of his career we thought he needed a bit of give."
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