CHICAGO – Archipenko literally flew, but too late, to overhaul pillar-to-post winner Spirit One in Chicago’s Arlington Million over 2000m on Saturday, but Mike de Kock and Kevin Shea both believe they should have won the race.

When the seven-horse ffield turned for home, Spirirt One held a length lead over Mount Nelson (Johnny Murtagh), who had Archipenko between himself and the inside running rail.

At this point Mount Nelson, already fully off the bit, was making no impression on the leader, but Archipenko was building up to his stretch effort and was desperate for a clear run to challenge Spirit One. “’I begged Johnny to let me through, but he wouldn’t,” Shea said.

SPIRIT One wins the Arlington Million from Archipenko (head in photo). (four footed fotos.com)

“Archie” finally found some room 100m from the line and made rapid headway, but the post came too soon. “If we’d found a passage through we would have won.” “Johnny hindered me the whole way round and twice pushed me into the fence,” added Shea.

”That was an ungentlemanly ride and I am disappointed in Johnny,” said De Kock of Ballydoyle’s stable rider, who was a regular on his own horses in Dubai and elsewhere over the last year and is held in the highest regard by the stable and its connections.

“It is one thing riding aggressively to win a race, but another riding to hamper a rival horse from winning. In my opinion, he rode his horse to keep us in. There was no need for him to keep us in like that. It’s as if he was looking for our horse all the way round.”