Mondo Man landed a first Betfair Imperial Cup for Gary and Josh Moore at Sandown despite Caolin Quinn having to ride with his feet out of his stirrups after the last.
The 5/2 favourite led from the start and while he had Rubber Ball for company throughout he ran away from that rival before the second last when easing clear.
With the race all but sewn up he bunny-hopped the last and suddenly looked very tired in the testing ground up the hill with Quinn's feet out of the irons not helping matters.
A big lead was eaten into by the running-on Wreckless Eric, but the finishing post came in time for Mondo Man who won by a length and a half.
14:27 Sandown - Imperial Cup result
1st MONDO MAN (5/2 favourite)
2nd Wreckless Eric 11/2
3rd We're Red And Blue 12/1
4th Messerschmitt 50/1
5th Afadil 18/1
Gary Moore said: “It was an amazing performance. The only reason I let him run was because he has got class as I didn’t really want to run him on the ground. He is a class horse.
“I was devastated when I saw him having to make all the running around here. It wasn’t my plan, but it was Caoilin’s plan and he stuck to it.
“I thought it was very today for Caoilin at the last. I’ve never seen him look so stylish.
“We thought we were going to win a nice race at Ascot earlier in the season with him, but he was far enough back that day and he had to come from a long way back.
“Running him at Plumpton the other day shows we can make the running and that is what he has done today.
“That run at Plumpton was very important last time. A lot of credit goes to Jamie (Moore) as he said the horse was better after Plumpton than what he was going into it.
“I hadn’t won an Imperial Cup until now so that puts the icing on the cake.
“I have to consult John and Yvonne Stone (owners) first (about running in the County Hurdle). It depends how he comes out of the race as he has had a hard race today. It is not easy to make all around here on heavy ground and come out of here and be fresh again in the week. It is up to what they say and they will be guided by me on how he is.
“He was also bought to run on the Flat. He met with an injury last season and that is why he didn’t run after Chester. There are a good few options for him.
“I would like to see him run at Royal Ascot in the two mile race. He was purchased to run in the Triumph Hurdle and go to Royal Ascot.”
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Quinn said: “I didn’t have a look around, I just kept kicking forward as I didn’t know how far I was clear. It was tough old conditions so I didn’t want to look for a long one or do anything stupid. I just tried to let him go in and pop it and get out the other side safely, and we nearly didn’t do that. He went one way, and I went the other, but I stayed aboard him anyway.
“He showed lots of guts to keep galloping. That ground is not his ideal ground as he probably wants a quicker surface. Now that he is settling he showed that has an attitude to knuckle down and battle.
“It was like back to my roots riding ponies as a kid around fields, but it has been a brilliant day.
“He has been very frustrating. Last season as a juvenile, and even the start of this season, he hasn’t been the easiest of rides. We have probably had to ride him very cold to make him settle. We couldn’t ride him anymore forward before as he was far too keen.
“He has grown up a lot now and he seems a much more mature horse and he is making my job a lot easier. I can only see him going from strength-to-strength. I think he has plenty of talent.
“If you remember his first run at Ascot against Lulamba he was so keen that day he had no right to finish that close to Lulamba that day., so it just shows how much ability he has.
“He is probably well-handicapped at the moment from him just being immature. Hopefully if he steps through handicaps he would have no problem stepping up into graded company.”
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