HENRY MATISSE CAME out on top to land the Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar.

Aidan O’Brien’s colt and his rivals were made to wait in the stalls after Aomori City broke through the starting gates and had to be reloaded.

When the field got away, the winner’s class showed as he overcame a wide passage to soar to success on a fruitful day for Ryan Moore and the Coolmore team.

Henri Matisse was O’Brien’s 20th Breeders’ Cup winner, equalling the record of the great D Wayne Lukas.

“It’s incredible, we all know what a special man he is. I’m honoured to be anywhere close to his record,” said O’Brien.

“I’m delighted for everybody. What can you say about Wayne? He rang me earlier in the week and he told me about this track, how to ride it and what to do and what not to do.

“He was saying about the Classic and how he thought we should ride our horse (City Of Troy). We feel very grateful and really privileged that he was so good to tell us everything – honoured really.

“I remember Wayne came down and told us what to do about the pony (when Giant’s Causeway ran in the 2000 Classic), then he said ‘I’ll come down and I’ll do it for you’.

“That was the Giant’s Causeway time and ever since he’s been such a help to us, we’re just so grateful to him. What a special man.”

Earlier, Lake Victoria’s kept her flawless record intact in the John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar.

O’Brien’s Frankel two-year-old was ridden by Moore on an inside line in the opening stages of the one-mile contest, with the filly significantly tightened up for room on the first bend.

Lake Victoria appeared to briefly lose her balance, but Moore soon got her back on an even keel and was able to regain momentum on the rail.

In the straight she was switched out to find some racing room and when asked was easily able to pull away to a comprehensive success, extending her unbeaten run to five races and adding a third top-level success after victories in the Moyglare and Cheveley Park Stakes.

O’Brien was full of praise for Moore’s ride given the trouble Lake Victoria encountered in the initial exchanges.

He said: “Whether she got crowded or was bumped I’m not sure, but Ryan was further back than he wanted to be. He was in a terrible position but he gave her a brilliant ride

“The lads (Coolmore) decided to give her a bit more time (after the Cheveley Park) and come here and Ryan was very confident.

“Ryan says she will be a miler and we will train her for the Guineas. Hopefully she will get a mile and a quarter.

“We will let her thrive over the winter with the colts and then we will map out plans for all of them into the new year.”

Moore was in no doubt about Lake Victoria’s class before the race and felt she had stamped her authority in style.

He said: “She had very strong form, all she needed was normal racing luck she had her share of that and she was much the best.

“I had no concerns about the distance she had won over seven at the Curragh and to me there was no doubt that she would get the mile – she was way too good for them.

“Going forward she’s more of a miler and probably a Guineas filly.”

City of Troy runs in the Breeders Cup Classic tonight.

Elsewhere, William Haggas and Cieren Fallon hit the jackpot in Sydney as Lake Forest swooped late and fast to land the $10million [€9.19m] James Squire Golden Eagle at Rosehill.