TOWER Of London gave Aidan O’Brien and the Coolmore partnership another big Middle East victory when running out a comfortable winner of the two-mile Dubai Gold Cup on the turf.

The four-year-old by Galileo – who finished fourth in the Doncaster St Leger last September – won the valuable Red Sea Handicap in Saudi Arabia in February and was sent off the 9/4 favourite here to see off a field of 14 runners. His task was eased when dual St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov was withdrawn at the start after banging his head in the stalls.

Ryan Moore held up the favourite towards the rear as John and Thady Gosden’s Trawlerman and Japan’s Libyan Glass set the pace.

The writing was on the wall when Tower Of London began to make ground quickly two furlongs out and he duly quickened up when asked to lead inside the final furlong and scored by a cosy two lengths from French outsider Al Nayyir.

Aidan O’Brien said: “You would have to be very impressed with that. He has become a very classy horse. He is very pacey. He quickens so well.

“Ryan said there wasn’t much pace on, but he was happy to wait with him like he did in Saudi last month. He settles well, then quickens. And he loves that fast ground on a flat track.”

Hinting that Kyprios remained the stable’s number one contender for the big staying races in Europe, the trainer added of the winner: “I don’t know if he would get the trip in an Ascot Gold Cup. He might, though. Ryan said he could drop back to a mile and a half, too, so we have options with him.

“Races like the Coronation Cup or the Hardwicke Stakes we could think about. Ryan was very confident beforehand.”

Later in the week it emerged that the withdrawn Eldar Eldarov had suffered a serious neck injury which required an operation and while he will hopefully survive and have a stud career, he is unlikely to race again.

UAE Derby

The O’Brien-trained Navy Seal (fifth) and Henry Adams (last) failed to land a blow in the $1 million UAE Derby which was won by the Japanese-trained Forever Young. Another who was following up a win on the Saudi Cup card, Forever Young again took time to warm to his task but eventually got rolling and won by two lengths.

Like last year’s winner of this race, Derma Sotogake, Forever Young will take his chance next in the Kentucky Derby.

Trainer Yoshito Yahagi said: “Of course it will be very difficult to manage the horse’s condition [travelling] from Dubai to Kentucky but I really believe my team will be able to get him in good order.”

Navy Seal’s rider Wayne Lordan said: “He ran a cracker. First time on that surface and I thought he did really well. I tried to follow the winner but I only got so far!

“But my lad is a nice horse and he could have a good year ahead of him.”

Of Henry Adams, Ryan Moore said: “He’s fine, he got squeezed out in the first turn. Put a line through it.”