Horatio Nelson wires Superlative

Horatio Nelson led throughout under Kieren Fallon to win the Group 3 Superlative Stakes for 2-year-olds at Newmarket on Thursday, just one day after his Aidan O'Brien-trained stablemate Ivan Denisovich had landed the Group 2 July Stakes.

Out of English Oaks and Irish 1000 Guineas winner Imagine, Horatio Nelson is, like Ivan Denisovich, a son of Danehill.

The winner of a seven-furlong maiden in his June 24 debut at the Curragh, Horatio Nelson defeated Leo by 2 1/2 lengths in the $70,000 Superlative while traveling the seven furlongs on good to soft ground in 1:26.40. Along with Group 2 Railway Stakes winner George Washington, O'Brien now has Europe's three leading juvenile colts in his Ballydoyle barn.

Later in the program, Pastoral Pursuits scored a 22-1 upset in the Group 1, $440,000 July Cup at six furlongs. A Henry Morrison-trained 4-year-old, Pastoral Pursuits was a 1 1/2-length winner over Avonbridge, who went off at 40-1. Soldier's Tale, the 4-1 co-favorite, was fourth, and Balmont was fifth. The winning time was 1:11.86.

Jack Sullivan favored in Silver Trophy

Lingfield Park will host Saturday's Group 3 Silver Trophy, a one-mile event for older horses that will be the first European group race ever run on an all-weather track. Jack Sullivan, the Gerard Butler-trained winner of the Group 3 Maktoum Challenge-Round 2 on dirt at Nad Al Sheba and fourth behind Roses in May in the Dubai World Cup, may have an edge over Eccentric and Vortex, both of whom are prolific winners on the polytrack surfaces at Lingfield and Wolverhampton.