Jan Brueghel comes home well clear© Photo Healy Racing
The further he went, the better Jan Brueghel was as he made a taking debut in the three-year-old colts and geldings maiden at Headquarters.
A full brother to Irish Derby winner Sovereign, and with plenty of stamina in his pedigree, he relished this mile and a-quarter trip. Ozark Daze bounced away smartly to lead from a tracking Jan Brueghel with Raydamann third and Dancing Steve fourth.
Jan Brueghel was on terms with Ozark Daze turning for home and the pair had the race to themselves a furlong and a half from home.
Jan Brueghel went on approaching the final furlong and powered clear in the final 150 yards to win by a widening eight lengths at 7/2. Runner-up Ozark Daze, 2/1f, couldn't live with the winner inside the final furlong, but was three and a-quarter lengths ahead of Raydamann who was gambled on down to 5/2.
This brought up a treble for Ryan Moore and a double for Aidan O'Brien.
The trainer said: “Ryan loved him. He just wasn't straight forward to train, he took a bit of time, he's a big horse.
“I asked Ryan if he would be ready for Ascot and he said he mightn't be mentally as he doesn't know enough, he'd never been at a track before.
“He said to go to a winners' race with him and then go to the Gordon Stakes in Goodwood.
“I asked him if he'd stay further than a mile-and-a-half and he said he will but don't go further yet. That's all positive.
“He said he didn't come on the bridle until he joined the leader and then he said he came alive.
“He's probably a fair horse and he has the pedigree to be a mile-and-a-half horse.”
Moore was also successful on Henri Matisse (for O'Brien) and Candleford for William Haggas.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson