Opera Ballo looks the part in seeing off Field Of Gold

Opera Ballo produced a brilliant front-running performance to land the bet365 Mile at Sandown.

The Ghaiyyath colt had looked every inch a top-class horse in the making after winning four of his first five starts and while he was no match for the reopposing Zeus Olympios in Newmarket’s Joel Stakes in the autumn, he had since registered two emphatic victories in Dubai.

Third best in the market at 4-1 for this Group Two contest, Charlie Appleby’s charge was sent straight to the lead by William Buick and dictated throughout.

Last year’s Irish Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes winner Field Of Gold, who was the even-money favourite to bounce back from a disappointing end to last season, came from a long way back to mount his challenge and won the battle for second with the previously unbeaten Zeus Olympios.

Neither ever really looked like laying a glove on Opera Ballo, though, who was good value for the winning margin of three lengths.

“William and I were chatting away yesterday and there wasn’t a pace angle declared, so we said let him do what his father did and jump and run,” said Appleby of the decision to make all.

“This horse is electric out of the gates and Will has always said he’ll take two or three lengths out of them out of the gates.

“It was a great ride from Will there and a track you could do that on. Full credit to the horses in behind for getting so close, as it was always going to be a tough ask once our lad built up that lead and he maintained the gallop well.

“I just loved the way he went down to post today and he just hacked – I knew then he was in a good place. You could probably mark that up and people are saying he’s the fit horse, but that was back in January. Maybe that run under his belt did help.

“Our plan was always to step back up to nine furlongs for the Prix d’Ispahan. I would imagine that’s where we will go.

“The Lockinge is of course there for us, but Notable Speech is on course for that.”

While Opera Ballo is set for a trip to France, both the runner-up and third horse are likely to be at Newbury next.

John Gosden said of Field Of Gold: “He’s run a very nice race and the Lockinge will be the plan.

“As I said beforehand he’s only had one race in nine months and he was going to need it to bring him forwards.

“You’ll never beat a front-runner around here when they go off like that. I knew William was going to do that and I said to Colin (Keane) to settle him and bring him with one run.

“He’s run a lovely race to finish second and I couldn’t be more pleased by the way he has come there and I didn’t expect him to beat that horse – a front-runner here is hard to beat when they get that kind of lead.

“I’m happy to see him run a solid race, but it’s like a tennis player going into a tournament, you need to be match fit and this is how you get match fit.”

Of Zeus Olympios, Karl Burke said: “He’s finished a neck away from Field Of Gold giving him 3lb and you couldn’t say it was a bad run.

“Obviously I’m disappointed to lose the unbeaten record and the winner had fitness on his side, so I see no reason why we won’t still head to the Lockinge.

“He was a few kilos heavier than he was last year and he will definitely come on for the run.”