Saturday 13 October 2018 14:53, UK
French raider Persian King saw off Aidan O'Brien's Magna Grecia to claim a thrilling renewal of the Masar Godolphin Autumn Stakes at Newmarket.
Following successive wins at Chantilly in September, the Andre Fabre-trained Kingman colt was the 6-5 favourite to complete his hat-trick and enhance his growing reputation in this Group Three contest.
Massam took the eight-strong field along for much of the one-mile journey before Magna Grecia's two stablemates Circus Maximus and Western Australia moved to the front in an attempt to raise the pace.
Persian King and Magna Grecia followed them through before drawing clear to fight it out racing inside the final furlong.
Both juveniles gave their all, but with the rail to help, it was Persian King who claimed a neck victory in the hands of Pierre-Charles Boudot with the pair three lengths clear.