Soldier Of Fortune Lands Coronation Cup Ballydoyle got the Classic weekend off to a perfect start when Soldier Of Fortune (9-4) landed the Juddmonte Coronation Cup at Epsom on Friday. Last year´s Irish Derby winner had the assistance of two pacemakers and after Song Of Hiawatha dropped away, Ormonde Stakes winner Macarthur made a bid for home. Hot favourite Getaway moved up to challenge but as Soldier Of Fortune quickened for Johnny Murtagh, the 5-4 market leader had nowhere to go. However, the French challenger was starting to tread water anyway and it was Mick Channon´s Youmzain who flew from the clouds to claim second, three-quarters of a length away, with Macarthur third and Papal Bull fourth. O´Brien said: "He´s a natural horse and he´s strengthened up since last year. "It was a level pace, but it was not that strong because Frankie (Dettori, Red Rocks) pulled the field back off them (Song Of Hiawatha and Macarthur), he made it into a different race and I didn´t believe they could get there. "Macarthur is a very good horse and he had gone. He (the winner) was entitled to get tired with it being his first run of the year, but he just got there. He´s an exceptional horse. "All the races over a mile and a quarter and a mile and a half are open to him and Johnny was brilliant on him today." Channon said of the runner-up: "He´s run a stormer. They didn´t go any pace, but he was eating up the ground at the finish. He´s now finished second in three of the most important all-aged races in Europe and I really want to win one with him. "I suppose we will have a look at the Hardwicke now." Andre Fabre had no excuses for Getaway, who finished fifth. He said: "He pulled hard and did not settle going up and down the hills. He got boxed in but he did not have any gas left to get back out and there are no excuses. "We will now go away to think about future plans."
