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Dubai: Jimmy Fortune made all the running aboard last season's St Leger winner Lucarno to land the Princess of Wales's Stakes and garner a vote for the Arc de Triomphe.
Fortune's front-running tactics appeared to suit the John Gosden-trained four-year-old, who comfortably held off last year's winner Papal Bull by one and quarter lengths.
Petara Bay was third and Godolphin hope Sagara fifth after showing no interest in the closing stages of the race.
The four-year-old gelding settled well for Frankie Dettori and raced in second, five lengths behind Lucarno, for most of the trip.
But when Dettori asked him for his effort Sagara could find no more and was overtaken by Anna Pavlova with five furlongs left in the race.
Running flat
He did not make an impression thereafter, finishing behind the top four.
Frankie Dettori said: "He was doing OK until the last couple of furlongs and then did not want to know."
Godolphin's second strong Happy Boy was a non-runner due to unsuitable ground.
Fortune was delighted that his tactics with Lucarno's paid off and said: "It worked out ideally - there was never going to be much pace in the small field. It's taken a long time for him to come together this year but you have to remember he had a lot of racing last year.
"It was his fourth or fifth race last year before he showed real class." Gosden added: "I'm very pleased and it was a good effort carrying a Group One penalty. He did very well physically through the winter and is a big bull of a horse. but is starting to come to himself now.
"I left him in the King George yesterday and we will consider that. Longer term, I wouldn't be afraid of an Arc or something like that.
"There are plenty of races for him in the autumn and he could even go out to Japan in November."
The Arc takes place on October 5 at Longchamp racecourse in France.
Terry Mills was thrilled with the effort of third-placed Petara Bay and said: "We're very pleased - that's the way he's got to be ridden.
"There's a big race in this horse, I can feel it in my water.
"He'll go to York, the Arc and everywhere."
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