Cracksman holds firm to win thrilling Coronation Cup

CRACKSMAN showed he is made of stern stuff when digging deep to win the Coronation Cup at Epsom.

The John Gosden-trained colt was sent off the 2-7 favourite, but he was only able to master the brave front-runner Salouen in the last strides under Frankie Dettori.

The Italian never looked happy aboard Cracksman and he was pushing along from an early stage in the £420,000 Group 1.

The pair looked in deep trouble with around a furlong to run, but he found extra on the climb to the line to collar Salouen by a head, with a break back to the German raider Windstoss in third position.

A relieved Dettori told ITV Racing: "He doesn't really enjoy galloping downhill and when I wanted to close the gap, I couldn't.

"Silvestre (de Sousa, on Salouen) got five lengths on me and made it really hard work.

"Once we flattened out the turbo kicked in, but we had to work for this one.

"You didn't see the best of him today, he was never happy on the track.

"He's so big, and we know he's a better horse than he showed today.

"He showed his class, as any other horse would have just downed tools and finished second."

Gosden echoed Dettori's belief that Cracksman was uneasy on the undulating track at Epsom, and he also confirmed the colt would head to the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot later this month.

He said: "It's hard to pick up on this ground when you give one that much of a lead and, as Frankie says, he's not in love with the track and he was better where he met the rising ground.

"We'll look at Royal Ascot now, the Prince of Wales's Stakes."

Lambourn-based trainer Sylvester Kirk expressed mixed emotions following the run of Salouen, who came so close to a major upset under Silvestre De Sousa.

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Kirk said: "It was lovely to see the horse do what we thought he was capable of.

"He jumped out in front and made nearly every yard, but was just beaten by a really good horse.

"I'm delighted and disappointed, I would have settled for that beforehand, but watching that I'm disappointed, as I thought he was home and hosed.

"I thought a furlong out he was the winner."