Frankie Dettori hailed Golden Horn the best he has ridden after the three-year-old beat the older horses in Saturday's Group I Eclipse Stakes (10 fur) at Sandown Park.
Forced to assume the uncustomary role of pacemaker in the small field, Golden Horn set a steady tempo to the home turn where dual Group I winner The Grey Gatsby came to challenge.
Dettori asked Golden Horn (4/9 fav.) to accelerate and he did, The Grey Gatsby (7/2) trying hard but unable to get past, Golden Horn powering up the hill to score by 3 1/2-lengths with Western Hymn (10/1) a further 4 1/2-lengths off third in the five horse field.
"He was pushed today," Dettori told Racing UK. "
"I had an easy lead but Jamie was very clever. He attacked early, he eye-balled me, but the horse showed what a true champion he is. He has a lot of guts and was going away at the end."
Dettori said the son of Cape Cross has an unbelievable constitution.
"In none of the races I've ridden him in or any of the gallops has he ever felt tired," Dettori said.
"He just keeps on galloping. He is a remarkable horse. His constitution is unbelievable. I've never got to the bottom of him,
"As a three-year-old, right now, I would say he is the best I've ridden."
Trainer John Gosden said he will wait to see how Golden Horn comes out of the race before committing to a start in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes over a mile and a half at Ascot later this month.
"If it's a dance too far then we will wait," Gosden said.
"He's not in the Arc, but I think he will be an Arc horse unless it comes up bottomless, but that's getting a long way a long way ahead of ourselves."
The unbeaten Derby winner joined Tulyar, Mill Reef, Nashwan and Sea The Stars as only the fifth horse since the war to complete the Derby-Eclipse double.