Trawlerman gave Frankie Dettori yet another big-race success with a dramatic victory in the prestigious Ebor Handicap at York.
The 9-1 shot edged out Alfred Boucher (8-1), who was aiming for a double after a win on Wednesday’s opening day.
Dettori had his mount running solo on the far side of the track in the early stages.
And after bringing him back to the pack, he stayed in contention but needed another late effort to win.
It is Dettori’s first victory in the race since Winning Foe’s success in 2012 and evoked memories of Trawlerman’s sire, Golden Horn, who stayed wide when landing the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in 2015.
“My colleagues gave me a little bit of rope,” admitted the 51-year-old Italian. “I managed to get him to relax and in the straight I thought I was beaten but the grey horse came and kind of helped me.
“I thought I was just running out of runway and I might not get there but on the line, in fairness, he dug deep, put his head down and I thought ‘Ah! Close!'”
John Gosden, who trains Trawlerman along with son Thady, paid tribute to Dettori, with whom he had a public falling out earlier in the season, which resulted in a week’s sabbatical for the rider.
“I could not get his attention – I could not get him to concentrate, that’s all,” Gosden said. “In the end we gave him a bit of a public warning – that’s the way it is. He was left on the bench like he would be by a football manager.
“He has just ridden two fantastic races today and when our man is in the zone he is absolutely top-class. When he is not in the zone, he is a menace!”
