Art Power fights back to deny Kinross and Frankie Dettori in Champions Sprint thriller

Making his fifth appearance in this contest, Tim Easterby’s gallant grey was away quickly in the hands of David Allan and soon blazing a trail on the front-end.

Having tracked the pace aboard Kinross, Dettori was nudging his mount into contention two furlongs from home, with a repeat of last year’s race victory looking likely as the stamina of Ralph Beckett’s six-year-old took him to the front inside the final furlong.

However, Art Power – a Royal Ascot winner three years ago – refused to lie down and he showed supreme guts to fight back and land a British Champions Day shock at 40-1 and also provide his pilot with a first Group One on British soil.

Referring to Art Power’s fine form when he has travelled to Ireland, Easterby quipped: “It wasn’t the Curragh, which was great! He just keeps turning up and trying his best. He’d had a few bad luck stories, but he’s been in the first four nearly every time he’s run here. You can’t knock that, he’s always run to the line.

“We couldn’t get a job for him at stud. He’s a wonderful little horse, he took his gelding well and he’s a great horse to train. He doesn’t need any fancy gallops or anything, he’s just brilliant.

“Dave gave him a fantastic ride, he jumped out and he travelled. When he travels he’s hard to beat. He looked great today, he’s put weight back on as he lost a load in France, and he’s just come back.

“Dave had the edge on them and that was it.”

Asked if the King Power-owned winner might run again this season, Easterby said: “I don’t know; there’s racing in Hong Kong, we might take him over there – we shall see.”

A delighted Allan said: “It felt awesome after! It was nerve-wracking half a furlong from the line when Frankie went past me, but obviously it’s awesome to get it (Group One) on the board – especially a horse who has had, I think, 14 goes previously in Group Ones. Everything was in his favour today, we were expecting a big run and it all went perfectly.”

Of Kinross, Beckett said: “I’m very pleased and proud of him. He sort of had to go looking for Tim’s horse to go by him, but the winner is very tough in this ground.

“Once he hit the front you are probably not thinking he’ll get beat, but that is the way it goes.

“I don’t know about the Breeders’ Cup. We’ll talk about it. It will be one (America or Hong Kong) or both.”

Harry Herbert of Highclere Racing, owners of third-placed Spycatcher, said: “He’s the most wonderful horse and has had an incredible season. To be here on a day like today with a syndicate, everyone just having the best time, it’s a great day.

“He got caught up and couldn’t get through at a key time but did it make a difference, I don’t know. He’s got another £45,000 to add to his tally and hasn’t been unplaced all season.

“He’ll be back next year and on this ground he’s a Group One sprinter. I imagine the Prix Maurice de Gheest will figure highly once again.”