Grandeur warmed up for a return to America by demonstrating a smart change of gear in the Greene King Foundation Stakes at Goodwood yesterday.
His trainer Jeremy Noseda did not dismiss a possible Breeders' Cup challenge, and has already placed the grey with skill to win the Twilight Derby at Santa Anita and Hollywood Turf Cup last winter.
Brown Panther, who is heading off in an entirely different direction, was fifth over a clearly inadequate mile and a quarter and his chances in the Emirates Melbourne Cup were hardly damaged.
With part-owner Michael Owen present, Brown Panther attempted to burn off his rivals from the front in order to follow up his Goodwood Cup heroics, but he was conceding weight across the board and was swamped by rivals entering the home straight.
Grandeur (6/4 favourite), who failed to show his best in the Arlington Million, had earlier been a fine second to Mukhadram in the York Stakes and he picked up convincingly from the rear through softened ground, drawing a length and a quarter clear of Quick Wit.
"I was very worried about the ground but I wanted to get another run into him before he goes off to America again," said Noseda of his seven-time winner. "He has a few options out there and I will have to speak to the owner about it first."
Loves Santa Anita
Asked about the Breeders' Cup, he said: "He loves Santa Anita, but there are horses like The Fugue going there so we'll have to see. It will depend if we decide to be brave."
Of Brown Panther, who missed the Irish Leger due to a temperature, Owen said: “We didn’t get to go to our intended target but we wanted a tilt before the Melbourne Cup.
“As much as you always want to win he’s run a good race, giving weight all around over an inadequate trip, so you’ve got to be pleased.
“He needs a lot further than that to be shown to his best, but he’s run a decent race and hopefully will come out sound and we can go to Melbourne. If he runs, I’ll be there.”
John Gosden’s 2,000 Guineas favourite Kingman leads a field of 32 possibles for the Dubai Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket on October 12th.
Aidan O'Brien is responsible for 13 of the entries after the latest forfeit stage.
Previous renewals
The master of Ballydoyle has surprisingly won only two previous renewals of the seven-furlong Group One (Rock Of Gibraltar, 2001 and Beethoven, 2009), which so often sees the crowning of the season's champion juvenile.
Among this year’s baker’s dozen are Great White Eagle, War Command and Michaelmas, although that trio are all engaged in the six-furlong Middle Park Stakes on the same afternoon.
Tom Hogan reports Gordon Lord Byron to be in top form ahead of his bid to record back-to-back victories in the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp on Sunday week.
The five-year-old delighted his trainer in his first workout on Tuesday since he ran out an impressive winner of the Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock earlier this month, a race he was second in 12 months earlier before he went on to land the seven-furlong French Group One.
