Royal Ascot:Mastercraftsman pipped Delegator to give Aidan O'Brien his sixth victory in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot today. The 5-6 favourite had to work hard to follow up his Irish 2000 Guineas success but he did so in game fashion by a neck from Brian Meehan's runner.
Lord Shanakill ran a tremendous race to finish a close third, one and a half lengths away.
"It was unbelievable, a great performance," O'Brien said aftwerwards. "He's an amazing horse with speed, stamina, and all ground comes alike to him.
"It was a great performance from the horse and a marvellous performance from Johnny.
"If he steps up to a mile and a quarter I don't think he'll have a problem with that."
O’Brien’s three runners were up front right from the start with Set Sail rousted along by Seamie Heffernan to go on from Born To Be King and Mastercraftsman.
The latter took closer order under Johnny Murtagh and hit the front early in the straight.
Delegator put in a strong challenge and took a narrow advantage at one stage as they fought out a tremendous finish, with Lord Shanakill not giving up without a struggle.
But Mastercraftsman just proved the stronger in the dying strides.
"I committed him early enough, he's a bit lazy when he hits the front," Murtagh added. "When Delegator came to him you could see my horse had his head down and he was really trying.
"He gave 110 per cent, he's brave, courageous, he's like all the great horses I ride for Ballydoyle — they never know when they're beaten."
Delegator's trainer Brian Meehan said his charge's finish was an emphatic answer to the critics.
"I was very pleased with his performance and 50 yards out it looked like he had his head in front," he said. "It was a hell of a run and it pours ice on all the people who knocked him in Ireland.
"I'll have to take him home and sleep on it before deciding where he goes next."
Karl Burke, trainer of Lord Shanakill, added: "He's never let me down but I felt I let him down by running him in the (2000) Guineas.
"Today he's proved he gets the mile and that he's trained on. He'll have an entry in the Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly (July 5th)."