The well-supported River Tiber displayed his class to remain unbeaten with a hard-fought success in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes.
Royal Ascot's first juvenile contest of the week looked a cracker on paper, and it certainly lived up to expectations as River Tiber was made to pull out all the stops to give Aidan O'Brien a record-extending tenth Coventry Stakes victory.
There was early drama in the stalls with Buyin Buyin and Chief Mankato both having to be withdrawn following a fractious incident.
The pace looked strong on both sides of the track in the early stages with River Tiber always towards the fore on the far side. As expected, American raider Fandom showed bundles of early speed and led the near-side group with little separating the two waves of runners approaching the final two furlongs.
The son of Wotton Bassett struck the front entering the final furlong but had to see off a strong challenge from both Army Ethos (second – 20/1) and Bucanero Fuerte (third – 16/1), who finished with a reel flourish down the centre of the track.
Jessica Harrington's Givemethebeatboys finished back in fourth having cut out much of the early running with River Tiber on the far side of the track.
O'Brien said: "We brought River Tiber back to five last time. We got a little bit of a shock, as he came off the bridle over five and lacked a little bit of sharpness. We knew then he was going to get six and seven comfortably.
"When we started working him, he always looked very good. You need the best horse to win the Coventry. He was never disappointing in any of his work and the stronger the work got, the stronger he became. And at the end, the last piece of work he was doing too well, so that was my worry. He has matured a lot, put on a lot of weight, and he just finds it very easy. You could see him through the first part of the race today, he was going very easily."
He went on to add: "You never expect to have any winner here, that's the truth. It's a relief and I'm so delighted for everyone because everyone places so much on this week through the whole year."
Moore said: "It was tricky to start with, with horses getting upset, and River Tiber didn't settle like he usually would in the stalls. We travelled lovely, although I probably put him to sleep too much, and then had to wake him up to get past Frankie [Dettori on Givemethebeatboys]. He did that and then the other horse Army Ethos attacked in the middle of the track. I think we had a bit more to give and we've always loved him. He's got plenty of speed, but I would have thought he's going to be a Dewhurst horse."
Of River Tiber's physique, Moore said: "We got to the start for a 22-runner race and he stood over all of them. He's different class."
Archie Watson, who landed this race last year with recent King's Stand Stakes winner Bradsell said of his runner-up Army Ethos: "We've almost won two Coventrys in a row, which for a yard like us would have been massive.
"I couldn't be happier with the horse – he's always had so much class from the moment Oliver [St Lawrence, bloodstock agent] bought him at the Somerville Yearling Sale. The plan was always to go to Ayr and then come straight here.
"Hollie [Doyle] felt Ryan got a better tow into the race and she had to do it all herself when they started falling away on our side of the track. For a horse on his second run, it was a massive effort and I'm very proud of him."
Hollie Doyle added: "Army Ethos is a very nice horse – a big shell still with a lot more to come. We probably could have done with being on the other side, realistically, to have something to battle with like the winner has had, but he's done nothing wrong and ran straight as a die."
A tilt at Classic glory could be on the cards for the winner next season with Paddy Power remaining unchanged at 8/1 for the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket next May.
