Swagman provided Aidan O’Brien with a rare victory in the bet365 Classic
at Sandown.
While the master of Ballydoyle tends to make a habit of winning Derby trials at Leopardstown, Lingfield and York, he had only won this Group Three once before with Imperial Monarch in 2012.
Andrew Balding’s Windlord set out to make all under Oisin Murphy but Ryan Moore did not let him get too far in front of the winner.
As Windlord began to hang just over a furlong out, Moore brought Swagman with a strong-looking run on his outside.
Damysus began to make ground up from the rear and Windlord kept on battling, but Swagman (9-2) held off Windlord by three-quarters of a length.
The winner was paying a compliment to Jessica Harrington’s Hotazhell, who had Swagman behind him twice last year.