The well-backed Wine Dark Sea made every yard of the running to land the Highclere Thoroughbred Racing Geoffrey Stakes at Newbury.
Strong in the market just before the off, the 7/2 chance was taken to the front by Hector Crouch and he was allowed to set his own, unflustered, fractions.
And his rivals paid the price, Harry Charlton’s charge kicking for home two furlongs out and always looking in control from there.
Dubai Honour initially gave chase but was passed close home for the forecast spot by the fast-finishing Tabletalk but the bird had flown. Wine Dark Sea scoring by a length-and-a-half.
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Crouch said: “I don’t think he is reliant on front running, but in a small, trappy field he just set his own fractions. I was able to get the first furlong in the straight in neutral and then start to wind him up and he was very game.
“He swapped his leads coming down to the two furlong pole and I knew he had plenty left as he had gone through the race so easily, so I was fairly confident from two and a half down.
“I think he goes into quarantine in a couple of weeks so that will probably be the last we see of him in England this year, but hopefully he comes back up.
“He needed to finish third today to qualify for the Melbourne Cup so he has done better than that. I don’t know if they will have a prep race set out for him, but he has done the job this end and he can go have a tilt at them.
“I’ve not had a lot to do with horses that go and compete in those races as they are a very hard animal to find, but he has got a good temperament, and he sets his own fractions, so hopefully he can acquit himself well.”
Matt Fielding, assistant to the winning trainer, said: “He has won well there and galloped out well to the line, stamina wasn’t an issue. He enjoyed himself out in front.
“It was just an off day at Newmarket last time and nothing really came up, but he was back to form today and that is the main thing. He enjoys it out in front as he bowls along with his ears pricked.
“The way he won at Carlisle he was very impressive, and he was always going to go up in the weights, and with Australian Bloodstock buying into him as well, Group races were always where he was going to go next.
“I believe the Melbourne Cup is the long term aim and I believe he goes into quarantine in the next few weeks. It is nice to have runners in big races across the world on big days as well."
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