CAPRI gave Ryan Moore a first victory in the Group 1 William Hill St Leger Stakes as Aidan O'Brien's grey held Crystal Ocean in the world's oldest classic at Doncaster.

The son of Galileo became the first horse since Triple Crown hero Nijinsky in 1970 to win both the Irish Derby and the St Leger, in his first race since his success at the Curragh 77 days earlier.

The Anvil soon established a big lead from his three O'Brien-trained stablemates, led by Douglas Macarthur with Venice Beach and Capri just behind. Then there was a gap to John Gosden's duo of Stradivarius and Coronet.

The Anvil was a spent force tuning for home into the long straight, where Douglas Macarthur briefly took over.

Stradivarius looked a real threat on the far rail, but Capri (3/1 favourite) was already close to the pace and set sail for home inside the final quarter-mile.

Crystal Ocean made a strong run from the rear, but Capri held the aces to score by half a length and give O'Brien a fifth win in the race. Stradivarius was just a short-head away in third, with the Joseph O'Brien-trained Rekindling another length and a half back in fourth.

Moore said: "He's a very good horse, he's an Irish Derby winner and a Group 2-winning two-year-old as well. He's run in a lot of good races this year, he's a very good horse and very honest.

"When Crystal Ocean came to him, he dug in. He's done very little wrong in his career and has progressed from race to race. It was a very good performance in a very good St Leger."

On winning the race for the first time, he told ITV Racing: "It means you have to win it again, really."

O'Brien said: "We were all delighted with him. He had a little blip at York time (when he missed the Great Voltigeur). We were a little worried coming here, but Ryan gave him a class ride.

"All four of the lads were handy and everyone was happy with the pace Michael (Hussey) was going on The Anvil. He's a horse with a lot of class, which we saw in the Irish Derby. When Ryan wanted it, he gave it to him.

"Seamus (Heffernan) rides him a lot at home and has always been a big believer in him. He always said he had class and that he would stay.

"Ryan had ridden him once before when winning the Beresford on him, but that was last season. I was a bit worried about that as well, but it all went great."

"We had it in our heads that if all went well today and everything went well after he could run in the Arc. Obviously the lads (Coolmore) will decide what they want to do – run him again or put him away

"He's probably a mile-and-a-half horse with class, so he'd have no problem going a mile and a quarter. He has a great cruising speed and we always thought he had courage and stamina as well as class."

STAMINA

Sir Michael Stoute felt Crystal Ocean just found his stamina running out. He said: "I'd prefer to have won it, but he ran a great race, we're thrilled with him.

"I thought he was going to win, but we won't run him beyond a mile and a half again. It was always a danger that he was a mile-and-a-half horse and that's his trip.

"Jim (Crowley) gave him a lovely ride and I always felt he might win. Jim reported he was always pretty confident, but he was just outstayed."

Gosden said of his two runners: "He (Stradivarius) has run a cracker. It was a relentless pace, very strong and there was no hiding place.

"Coronet has run a lovely race (fifth) and she will go to Champions Day for the Fillies & Mares race.

"This fellow (Stradivarius) got isolated, he was coming back in the last 50 yards but they were racing away from him and he wasn't racing against anything. If he comes out of it well he will go to Ascot for the Stayers' race (the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup)."

Seahenge, Aidan O'Brien's apparent second string, came out on top in the Group 2 Howcroft Industrial Supplies Champagne Stakes.

While Ryan Moore was aboard the shorter-priced Mendelssohn, it was Donnacha O'Brien who landed the honours on Seahenge (8/1), who had only finished fifth behind Expert Eye in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood.

Dream Today and Hey Gaman were the two leaders until the race got serious in the final quarter mile. Mendelssohn was one of the first beaten, while Seahenge came with a strong challenge to pip the gritty Hey Gaman by a neck. Mythical Magic was third.

Seahenge was quoted at 25/1 for the Qipco 2000 Guineas, with Paddy Power.

His rider said: "He was very aggressive going down to the start, so I wanted to take my time with him. When they quickened from the three I just got caught a bit, but I let him find his feet and when he picked up two out I thought he'd get there.

"My lad will be suited with stepping up in trip again and I think he's a nice horse."

Aclaim was rewarded for a fine effort in defeat in the Prix Maurice de Gheest by going one better in the Group 2 Alan Wood Plumbing And Heating Park Stakes.

Martyn Meade's four-year-old had gone close over six and a half furlongs behind Brando in France and this seven was more up his street as he got up close home to take the spoils.

A steady pace was set by Spirit Of Valor towards the far side and Home Of The Brave towards the stands rail, but they all grouped together as the race hotted up.

Oisin Murphy managed to weave Aclaim (3/1) into a challenging position and get the better of Nathra by three-quarters of a length. Home Of The Brave battled on for third spot another length away.

Murphy said: "I got a lovely tow into it, it was a bit tight but when you are on a class horse I'd rather do that than waste ground and come out. He's been very well prepared by connections, they deserve a lot of credit. I haven't won a Group 1 yet, but it would be lovely if I got the opportunity in France (Prix de la Foret)."

Meade said: "He's just going the right way now. It was a shame he didn't win in France, in another few strides he probably would have done.

"We've got to look for a Group 1 now, that's two Group 2s he's won. He'll go to the Foret next, seven furlongs is his trip and softer ground is no issue. That was pretty impressive today, you can ride him anywhere."

Bruce Raymond, racing manager for Abdullah Saeed Al Naboodah, owner of runner-up Nathra, said: "That was a very good run from her, she needs very soft ground. It will either be the Sun Chariot or the Foret next, wherever the softest ground is."

Spring Loaded fairly bolted to victory for trainer Paul d'Arcy and jockey Joey Haynes in the William Hill Portland Handicap.

The five-year-old drew right away form his 21 rivals in the final furlong to turn the highly-competitive five-and-a-half-furlong heat into a procession.

Though the field split into two groups, the near side clearly held sway from some way out and it was Spring Loaded (12/1) who produced a decisive turn of foot to put the race to bed.

Vibrant Chords (7/1 favourite) stayed on well for second but was beaten three and a half lengths, with Justanotherbottle another three-quarters of a length away in third and Lexington Abbey a length further back in fourth.

Haynes was celebrating his biggest career success to date, and said: "I'm absolutely delighted, a big thank you to Mr d'Arcy and the owners for letting me ride him, it's brilliant.

"We knew there would be a lot of pace on and it was always going to suit him. As soon as I asked him, he picked up. It felt good."

D'Arcy said: "I told Joey he'd come alight and not to force him and he's given him a great ride. He had a bad draw at Chester and a stress fracture earlier in the year, but I knew there was a big one in him.

"We didn't enter him for Ayr, the ground would be too soft. Earlier in the week people were asking why I was bothering here, but I'd seen the long-term forecast and thought we'd get away with good to soft.

"I can't see much else for him now, especially as he needs decent ground. He could be one for Dubai or even America, given how good he is on the all-weather.

"I've tried to qualify for the All-Weather Championships twice, first time he missed out by 1lb and then he got the stress fracture last year."

Frankie Dettori treated his legion of fans to a victory as he rode a power-packed finish on Westerland to snatch the Napoleons Casinos & Restaurants Nursery Handicap.

Dettori and champion jockey Jim Crowley were locked together in a thrilling finish to the mile heat and it was the Italian who got the verdict.

Westerland (13/8 favourite), trained by John Gosden, was a short-head in front at the line with the four other runners well beaten off.

Dettori said: "He's hit the crossbar a few times and has finally got his head in front again. The cheekpieces helped."

Gosden said: "Khalidi won this last year, it's a nice nursery but it wasn't a very big field. I'm very pleased with him, we had to put the cheekpieces on him and I'm pleased he did it.

"They just helped him as I think he was a touch keen early but he's gone and won his race giving 2lb to the second, so that's great."