Defoe delighted his trainer, Roger Varian, by winning the Group One £445,000 Investec Coronation Cup by half a length at 11/1 from Kew Gardens (100/30).

 

This was a first top-level success for the grey five-year-old gelding, a son of Dalakhani and ridden by Andrea Atzeni.

 

Newmarket-based Varian, for whom it was a second Investec Coronation Cup win after Postponed's 2016 victory, said: "You dream about results like that. We were slow from the gate and we didn't get the handy pitch that we were looking for; maybe as it has turned out, that has worked in our favour. We had a lovely trip round the inside; of course they fanned out to challenge in the straight and he got a lovely split. Still, he was good - he quickened up really well. On his day he has looked like a Group One horse, and his last three or four runs perhaps haven't quite measured up to his summer form of last year, but I said beforehand that I didn't think he has ever been better.

 

"I'm so happy for his owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, who is a great supporter and who has been very patient, and of course so happy for the team at home who are doing a great job., I'm delighted with the result; it is fully deserved for the horse and we'll really enjoy it. It's a great day.

 

"It was a great ride, but they always are when they win! From his draw - one and two are quite tricky here over a mile and a half. History and the stats will tell you that, but it's really worked out for him. Andrea saved every bit of ground he could, and when they fanned out there was just enough room. There was a sort of gap - if you were going well enough you could take it; if you weren't quite going well enough they would have rolled in on top of them. Andrea was sat on a fair bit of horse; the horse went through the gap without flinching, then once he had a target he always looked like getting there.

 

"I was fairly relaxed watching it because I thought, well, we could run first three or four, and it was a bit different to watching Postponed [who won this race for Varian in 2016], when he was even money and expected to win. As the race developed today I thought he had a real chance."

Defoe (11/1), trained in Newmarket by Roger Varian, gained his just rewards at Group 1 level when taking the Investec Coronation Cup - last year the son of Dalakhani twice finished second and once third at the highest level.

 

The win gave jockey Andrea Atezeni a quick 131/1 double after his victory on Gossiping in the second.

 

"Defoe deserved that, the horse has been tried very highly in the top races and kept knocking on the door," said Atzeni, who had took a brave inside route up the home straight on the five-year-old who won by half a length from Kew Gardens.

 

"I had wanted to sit a bit closer to the pace, but he was a little slow out of the stalls. He didn't have the early speed to get up there, so we I had to take my time and ride him for luck and ride him to run well.

 

"I wasn't going well enough to decide and switch around, he was off the bridle but was picking up at the same time and I didn't want to disturb his momentum.

 

"But the splits came at the right time, he took off and it all worked in quite nicely."

 

Atzeni added: "He stays well and his home work has been good. It is great for the team and especially for owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, unfortunately he is not here today but will be watching from London.

 

"It is great for him as he is a loyal supporter of the yard; it is great for the boss too."

 

 

The Aidan O'Brien-trained Kew Gardens (10/3) finished an agonising half-length second to 11/1 shot Defoe in the £445,000 G1 Investec Coronation Cup at Epsom Downs.

 

Ridden cold by Ryan Moore at the back of the field in the early stages of the 12-furlong contest, Kew Gardens made stylish headway in the home straight to take the lead entering the final furlong

 

However, Defoe, trained by Roger Varian and ridden by Andrea Atzeni ran on strongly up the far-side rail to collar O'Brien's charge in the G1 event.

 

O'Brien said: "I'm delighted with Kew Gardens. He ran a very good race.

 

"Ryan was delighted with him and was pleased with the performance. We'll see how he comes out of the race, but the King George is a possibility.

 

The Sylvester Kirk-trained Salouen (10/1) led for most of the contest and was a further five lengths behind in third.

 

Kirk commented: "I was getting excited with a couple of furlongs to run! He was going to better than anything else turning in.

 

"Salouen has run another great race in this contest. They went a good gallop and he has run a smashing race.

 

"The Hardwicke Stakes is hopefully the plan. We'll wait and see how he comes out of the race, but that is where I would like to go to."

 

Oisin Murphy, who partnered Salouen, remarked: "It was a massive run. He settled great and the pace was just even. The best horse won on the day."

 

Franny Norton, who rode fourth home Communique (25/1), trained by Mark Johnston, added: "He ran well and Communique actually beat the winner last time out at Newmarket."

 

The 11/4 favourite Lah Ti Dar, finished sixth and jockey Frankie Dettori added: "She just didn't handle the track."

2 (8) Kew Gardens (IRE) Aidan O'Brien, Ireland 4-9-00 Ryan Moore 100/30

3 (7) Salouen (IRE) Sylvester Kirk 5-9-00 Oisin Murphy 10/1

4 (5) Communique (IRE) Mark Johnston 4-9-00 Franny Norton 25/1

5 (10) Marmelo Hughie Morrison 6-9-00 Gerald Mosse 12/1

6 (6) Lah Ti Dar John Gosden 4-8-11 Frankie Dettori 11/4 Fav

7 (1) Old Persian Charlie Appleby 4-9-00 James Doyle 100/30

8 (4) Morando (FR) Andrew Balding 6-9-00 Silvestre De Sousa 8/1

9 (9) Cypress Creek (IRE) (Sheepskin C/P) Aidan O'Brien, Ireland 4-9-00 Donnacha O'Brien 100/1

 

Winner owned by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum

 

Second Investec Coronation Cup success for owner, trainer and jockey following Defoe (2016)

 

Time: 2m 33.94s

Distances: ½, 5, 2, 1½, 5, ½, 1, 14

Breeder: Darley

Breeding: b g Dalakhani (IRE) - Dulkashe (IRE) (Pivotal)

Tote Win: £11.40 Places: £2.70 £1.70 £2.40 Exacta: £56.10 Trifecta: £433.30