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Last year’s St Leger Stakes hero Jan Brueghel bounced back to winning ways to deny Calandagan a first Group 1 success in a thrilling renewal of the Coronation Cup at Epsom on Friday.

Aidan O'Brien claimed a record-extending tenth Coronation Cup courtesy of Jan Brueghel's gutsy performance on the Epsom Downs.

Following an unbeaten three-year-old campaign, which was rounded off with a brave success in the final Classic of the season at Doncaster, Jan Brueghel suffered a somewhat shock defeat when turned over in the ten-furlong Group 3 Alleged Stakes at the Curragh in April.

However, back up in distance, Jan Brueghel proved what he was truly capable of under Ryan Moore, who was happy to take a lead off his pacesetting stablemate Continuous before moving to the front with two furlongs to travel.

The French raider Calandagan loomed up large to throw down a major challenge in the final furlong and briefly hit the front under Mickael Barzalona, but as has proved the case on his last three outings in Group 1 company, Francis-Henri Graffard's contender would once again have to settle for the silver medal as neither Jan Brueghel or Ryan Moore were in the mood to be denied.

The winning distance was half a length crossing the line, with the pair seven clear of Giavellotto back in third.

O'Brien said: "Ryan has given him an incredible ride, he got him balanced and into a lovely rhythm before they started to race from a long way out, but it was incredible in the straight how he carried on.

"Everyone knew it was going to be a good gallop, and Wayne Lordan was there to ensure it was a good gallop, all everyone wanted was a solidly run race and Ryan felt they were going fast enough for him.

"I thought Wayne was excellent at setting the pace. Everyone was happy to get a lead off Wayne and when you get a race run at a suitable pace you know what distance you can go next or what not to. This way everyone learns.

"At Group 1 level he is a mile and a half horse plus and he's a very tough horse who was unbeaten last year. He would still be unbeaten if I hadn't have run him at the Curragh.

"It was a lovely run first time back and it was only over a mile and a quarter, and he was beaten by a good horse of Joseph's. It was a bit unfair what I did pitching him in over that trip, but I needed to get him out early.

"He's a very brave horse and if you pass him slowly, you're in trouble."

Whilst delighted to get his four-year-old back to winning ways, O'Brien continues to rue a missed opportunity Down Under for Jan Brueghel, who was withdrawn from last year's Melbourne Cup on local veterinary advice.

He added: "He was unbeaten last year, and he was the biggest penalty kick ever in the Melbourne Cup but didn't get to run."

Illinois had been primed as Ballydoyle's number one for the mile and a half Group 1 prize on Oaks Day but following Kyprios' retirement, Jan Brueghel stepped in as the pack underwent something of a reshuffle.

"Everyone was standing in line behind Kyprios and he was always going to get first preference and there would be no move made on anything if he was going to Gold Cup," said O'Brien.

"When he was retired Illinois was put in there and this fella came into Illinois position. He was going to go for the Group 1 in Longchamp but then slotted in here."