DONCASTER, ENGLAND // It would have put a golden seal on a glorious day for UAE-owned horses, but Princess Haya of Jordan’s Romsdal had no answer to Kingston Hill’s powerful surge in the final stages of the St Leger ­yesterday.

Kingston Hill wandered under pressure in the final 400 metres and cut off the late bid by Snow Sky, who eventually finished third, but he stayed on every centimetre of the extended 2,800-metre event to hand jockey Andrea Atzeni a maiden classic win.

Romsdal was attempting to follow up the victories by the Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid-owned pair of Estidhkaar, who laid down his claims for next year’s English 2,000 Guineas with a win in the Champagne Stakes, and Muthmir, who broke the track record in the Portland Handicap.

For good measure, Atzeni doubled up his win in the St Leger when he guided Sheikh Mohammed Obaid’s Mount Logan to the winners’ enclosure 35 minutes later.

It was also a first classic win for trainer Roger Varian, 35, who has been an emerging talent ever since he took over at Kremlin House stables following the death of his predecessor, Michael Jarvis, in March 2011.

He has had his successes at the top level, having trained Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid’s Nahrain to win the Prix de l’Opera at Longchamp in 2011 and the Flower Turf Bowl Invitational Stakes at Belmont Park the following year.

Pretty Polly Stakes winner Ambivalent, who was third in the Dubai Sheema Classic in March, was another, and Kingston Hill has now added the world’s oldest classic to his Racing Post Trophy triumph here last season.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet, it is magic to win a classic,” Varian said. “It’s what we are all in it for.”

It was only Kingston Hill’s fourth run of the season and Varian revealed that there is every chance that his roan colt could beat a path to Paris in three weeks for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

“Hopefully he is not finished yet this year,” Varian said. “He has had a hard race today and we have to be sure he is 100 per cent. You’d have to consider a crack at the Arc if he came out of this one.”

Kingston Hill beat Romsdal in the English Derby in June by three-and-a-quarter lengths, which was narrowed to two ­yesterday.

Whereas Kingston Hill may chance his arm in France next month, Romsdal will have to wait until next season to see racecourse action again according to John Gosden, his trainer.

Australia beat both Kingston Hill and Romsdal at Epsom, but the dual Derby winner did not bolster that form when he lost to The Grey Gatsby in the Irish Champion Stakes late last night.

Joseph O’Brien, who had ridden Tapestry to ninth place in the Matron Stakes won by Fiesolana earlier in the night, was outsmarted by a brilliant Ryan Moore ride as The Grey Gatsby overturned last month’s Juddmonte International form.

Meanwhile, Al Atique was winner of the £150,000 (Dh895,600) Harwood International Stakes for Purebred Arabians at Doncaster yesterday.

Trained by Julian Smart and ridden by Sam Walker, the grey son of Amer powered home by two and a quarter lengths from Al Mouhannad, who improved on her third-place finish 12 months ago. Manark, owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid, finished in third spot.

Meanwhile, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe trials take place at Longchamp on Sunday

Although Treve is sure to be the star turn as the defending Arc heroine in the Group 1 Prix Vermeille line-up, Night Of Thunder’s bid to dislodge Toronado in the Group 1 Prix du Moulin is no less an enthralling event.

Night Of Thunder, owned by UAE businessman Saeed Manana, will be ridden by Ryan Moore, who was on board when Kingman proved too good for Night Of Thunder in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury back in April.

Night Of Thunder is considered the underdog to Toronado, his stablemate at Richard Hannon’s yard, but has been given a break from competing since failing to last 2,000 metres at his first attempt in the Coral Eclipse in July.

It has done the English 2,000 Guineas winner the world of good, according to Manana’s racing manager, Bruce Raymond.

“He’s in great shape,” he said. “He just didn’t stay the distance last time and needs a good, strong pace at a mile to be seen at his best. Hopefully that is what he will get in Paris.”

Treve has not won since her devastating victory in last season’s Arc but is reunited with Theirry Jarnet, after trainer Criquette Head-Maarek insisted he replaced Frankie Dettori for the race.

“Criquette has warned everyone that the Vermeille is not the Arc, so she may be slightly short of fitness on Sunday,” Harry Herbert, racing manager to owners Al Shaqab, said.

“Whatever she does, she will come on for that run.”

sports@thenational.ae