Wells Farhh Go and David Allan left beats James Garfield by a nose to win for trainer Tim Easterby © Photo Healy Racing
Wells Farhh Go maintained his unbeaten record when getting up on the line to prevail in a pulsating finish to the Tattersalls Acomb Stakes at York.
Needing every inch of the seven-furlong trip, the Tim Easterby-trained 10-1 chance, who made a winning debut over course and distance last month, wore down James Garfield in the dying strides to gain the day by a nose.
Lansky was a further three and three-quarter lengths back in third, but favourite Dee Ex Bee was a major disappointment.
There was early drama in the race, with the Richard Fahey-trained Chief Justice unshipping Paul Hanagan soon after exiting the stalls.
Winning rider David Allan said: "I thought the last stride he just stuck his head down and I thought I just got him on the post, but you never know - when your head is down and you are driving away it's quite hard to tell.
"He has still shown his inexperience a bit there. I thought I had the race won when I hit the front and Frankie (Dettori) burst through and it gave him something to run down again and he dug in again towards the finish.
"He was definitely having a look in front and I think there is more improvement in there, especially when he goes a bit further. He feels like he has got the potential to improve. He is a big horse, so he has got the scope."
Easterby said: "I thought he hadn't quite got there and that I should have run him over a mile.
"He's in the Royal Lodge and the Group One race at Chantilly (Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere). Whether we run him or not, I'm not sure. He's a big horse and needs a bit of time.
"I think he might be another Bollin Eric (2002 St Leger winner), he's not far off. He's just a very good horse in the making. One day he will be a proper horse. He's had a hard race there and I wouldn't be rushing to run him quickly."
Easterby is based locally to the track at Great Habton and relishes a York winner more than most.
He said: "It's fantastic. If they are entered here we don't walk the course, they run usually.
"I had a lot of offers for him since his last run and I resisted. I bought him at Tatts Sales as a yearling. He was just a big, nice horse. He showed me a nice bit of speed early on so we waited a bit with him and gave him a chance.
"Next year will be his year and he will be an even better four-year-old. I didn't put him in the Racing Post Trophy. He's out of a Galileo mare, he's got a great temperament and has got it all before him. He's very exciting."
George Scott said of James Garfield: "We've lots to look forward to with him. He probably just got a bit lonely out in front. I also think he has been beaten by a very good horse who was only having his second start.
"Even still, it is very frustrating. I was upset this morning when the rain came and I am sure he would have preferred faster ground.
"We've got plenty of options going forward. We won't make any snap decisions."
