'It was an incredible performance' - Lake Victoria overcomes major in-running trouble to remain unbeaten

She had already conquered Europe and Lake Victoria took the US in her stride when capping her perfect year with a stunning triumph in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Having scooped the Moyglare Stud Stakes and the Cheveley Park Stakes already, the Aidan O'Brien-trained star was heavily backed into odds-on favouritism; however, her chances were severely compromised when she was badly impeded going into the first turn.

Ryan Moore nursed her back into contention though, and unleashed her at the top of the home stretch before the pair stormed clear from May Day Ready.

"She jumped very well and I was having to use a bit of gas to hold my position, and then we got very tight with the five [Totally Justified]. We were stuck to the fence. Usually, when you get bumped around like that it's very hard for a horse to do what she did at the end of a race.

"The pace came out of the race and the damage was done. She got to the front very easily and pricked her ears. She was a level above these."

Lake Victoria took her unblemished record to five and completed a remarkable feat of winning Group 1s over 6f, 7f and a mile during her juvenile campaign. It was an accolade not lost on O'Brien.

Ryan Moore and Lake Victoria (centre) win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies TurfCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

"It was an incredible performance. She looks very special," he said. "Ryan was very cool on her – he probably ended up further back than he wanted to be. She'd only ever run over straight tracks before and it was her first time over a mile, and Ryan gave her a brilliant ride."

The Breeders' Cup revolves around City Of Troy's date with destiny in the Classic for Coolmore, with joint-winning owner Michael Tabor calling it the "calm before the storm" on the winner's podium.

Whatever happens on Saturday evening, they have a star for next year in Lake Victoria, who tightened up into 11-4 favouritism (from 3) for the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket with Paddy Power.

"Let's celebrate this and worry about Saturday later," Tabor said. "We've always said this horse was very special, but when you play away from home it's not easy. While we're here we have everything to gain and nothing to lose."

Derrick Smith, who also owns Lake Victoria with Tabor and John Magnier, added: "Ryan didn't panic, but we sure did! It was a class ride from a class jockey."

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