RACING York report: There was just a neck between Westerner and Distinction after a two and a half mile gallop around the Knavesmire in the Gold Cup here yesterday, but it was about as comprehensive as a neck ever gets. Olivier Peslier, Westerner's jockey, was cool and calm throughout the Group One contest, and cooler still shortly afterwards.

"I prepared for the race by putting a bottle of champagne in the fridge," he said. "Now, I'm going to drink it."

The punters were already queuing up to join him, as Westerner was the 7 to 4 favourite for this supreme test of staying horses. There could be no better way to mark France's first success in the Gold Cup since Sagaro completed a hat-trick in 1977, and the fulfilment of a burning personal ambition for Alec Wildenstein, the winning owner.

The frustration of seeing Westerner narrowly beaten by Papineau in last year's Gold Cup led to some rancorous remarks from the Wildenstein camp, the memory of which no doubt contributed to a surprisingly muted reception for Westerner as he was led into the winner's enclosure here yesterday.

Yet, there can be no doubting the quality of his success, for while Papineau ran poorly and beat only one of the 17-runner field home, Peslier's mount was going so well two furlongs from home that the jockey took a tug at his reins as Distinction, a 33 to 1 outsider from Michael Stoute's yard, hit the front and opened up a useful lead.

Distinction is a monster of a horse, nicknamed "Big D" by the staff at Stoute's yard, but size alone was not about to stop Westerner.

"He is a horse who has one burst of acceleration, which is very strong," Wildenstein said later, and when Peslier let him go, there was never any doubt that favourite-backers would soon be lining up to collect. Westerner got to the leader inside the final furlong, and won with the minimum of effort from either horse or jockey.

Now that his long-cherished wish to win the Gold Cup has been realised, Wildenstein expects Elie Lellouche, his trainer, to drop him back to a mile and a half, with the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in October likely to be his principal target.

"That was a race that we really wanted to win, but now that we have, he will go for shorter races," Wildenstein said. "We will see how he is in the race, and in an ideal world he will go to the Arc.

"He is also entered in the King George, but Newbury is a funny racetrack and I'm not sure that it will suit him. If not, he's got the Grand Prix in Baden-Baden, and then the Arc. We would have been disappointed to lose today. The only horse I was scared of was Vinnie Roe (who finished third) and this horse is remarkable. He is good-natured, he is calm, and he is extremely powerful."

Another of international bloodstock's major players, John Magnier, saw his colours carried to victory for the first time at this year's Royal meeting in its 17th race, as Indigo Cat, the 3 to 1 favourite, took the Hampton Court Stakes.

The winner was well off the pace in the early stage, but Kieren Fallon, his jockey, judged that the leaders had set off much too fast, and his opinion proved correct as he brought Indigo Cat with a strong late run to beat Belenus.

"This horse has improved with every one of his three races, and he still has his L-plates," Aidan O'Brien, Indigo Cat's trainer, said, "but he has earned a shot at a Group race now."

Mostashaar, who took the Britannia Handicap by a facile three lengths, is also likely to step up in grade. - Guardian Service