GOLDEN Horn won the Qipco Irish Champion Stakes under Frankie Dettori, but connections of Free Eagle were left despairing after their shot at victory was knocked for six when the winner veered right and collided with him inside the final 200m.

Frankie Dettori’s mount set out to make all and was still just about in front when he saw a shadow across the track and ducked right 150m from the finish, broadsiding the horse who at that stage, was his nearest pursuer and about a neck in arrears.

Golden Horn (left),survived an objection.

At the post, Golden Horn, the 5-4 favourite, finished a length in front of Aidan O’Brien’s filly Found, with Free Eagle close behind in third, having not had a chance to recover.

Dettori managed his trademark flying dismount in the winner’s enclosure, but made his way straight to the stewards’ room. However, it only took a matter of a few minutes before it was confirmed that the placings would not be changed.

“We got our tactics wrong at York,” trainer John Gosden said. “I thought the filly was magnificent, but we laid far too far back. I left it to the jockey today and he’s gone to the other extreme!

“The shadow of the grandstand caught him (when he jinked to his right). It caught him and he ran right across the shadow of the grandstand. The sun was out. They should probably have run the race later when there was no sun!

“He’s done it well. He’s handled slower ground, good to soft.

“Free Eagle was pushed out a bit and finished third. He’s a top-class horse and we messed one race up, we nearly messed up another with the shadows.”

Asked whether he had feared demotion in the stewards’ inquiry, Gosden responded: “I think the fact that Free Eagle was third is a great help to us. I’m glad I know why he did it because he’s never done anything like that before. |

– Press Association.