Pipe jacket withstood an eight-day turnaround and a determined challenge by Raschabar and won the Prix Morny (G1) under the electrifying power of Ryan Moore, who thus recorded his 200th Group 1 victory of his career.

With the win, Whistlejacket automatically secured a place in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T) on November 1. Del Mar through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and you’re in.

Whistlejacket bounced straight into a striking pitch on the inside lane and was challenged by Rashabar from the middle of the lane, while daylight circled the field from her high starting position before flying home in third place.

Aidan O’Brien, who won the Morny for the fifth time, was inclined to blame racing circumstances for Whistlejacket’s defeat. Babouches in the Phoenix Stakes (G1) last weekend and Moore left little to chance. He kept a high pace throughout the race and although it was difficult to tell if Whistlejacket was led by Rashabar at any point, his horse was back in the lead by three-quarters of a length at the finish line.

Whistlejacket is a brother of the 2022 Phoenix winner The little big bear and O’Brien credited the mental strength of both horses as the key to them even being able to think about reversing so quickly.

“It was the boss’s decision to come back here,” said O’Brien. “Because of his speed and precocity, we thought he could run both races, which is very difficult, especially when there is only a week between them.”

“He has an incredible temperament, it’s incredible how relaxed he is and his brother was the same. (He is) totally absorbed in his own life, he doesn’t see much outside of his own mind. That’s very unusual and a great advantage for a horse.

“After a week it’s very difficult. Very few horses could do it, but we thought if any horse could do it, it was him.”

Following the success of Whistlejacket, bookmakers’ odds for a variety of targets increased. However, O’Brien insisted that the son of No, no, never is all speed, the most relevant being the quotes for Middle Park, for which Paddy Power reduced him from 4-1 to 5-2 as favourite.

“He’s a five- to six-furlong horse. He’s a Middle Park type and then maybe a Breeders’ Cup (Juvenile Sprint) horse. He’s very fast,” O’Brien said. “I think probably the Middle Park is next and then the Breeders’ Cup.”

Brian Meehan was again defeated in Deauville after Jayarebe followed the remarkableBusiness at home on Thursday and found that the draw had made life difficult for Sean Levey this time.

“Nothing against the winner, you can never say that, but if we had had the rail, I think he would have won,” said Meehan after he and Sam Sangster serenaded Rashabar back into second place.

“It was a really good, solid run and the horse is making progress as it is one of the toughest Prix Mornys I have seen in years.

“I’ve won the race twice and this horse is better (than Bad As I Wanna Be and Arcano). What I really want to do is take him to the Breeders’ Cup. I think he will travel well and we’ll build on that.”

Daylight was furthest from the inside lane, in box nine, and Mickael Barzalona decided to go back and circle the field before having to wait for a gap to open up between Whistlejacket and the tiring Arabia This left some regret in the camp, although Pauline Chehboub of Gousserie Racing was one of the first to congratulate O’Brien.

“I’m a little disappointed,” said Chehboub. “It’s obviously a very high-class field and she couldn’t fight for the win. We had a bad draw and then had to wait until it was too late for the gap to open up.”