But the turn of foot Azamour showed to pass his 11 rivals inside the final half a mile was as impressive as any and may have earned him a trip across the Atlantic to tackle the world’s best at the Breeders’ Cup in October.

Kinane has ridden many great horses in his long and distinguished riding career, but even he was getting emotional after this victory, achieved in course-record time.

The 5-2 favourite, owned by the Aga Khan and trained by John Oxx, showed that he stayed every inch of the trip to beat 50-1 chance Norse Dancer by one and a quarter lengths, with Bago a short-head away in third and Warrsan a further five lengths back in fourth.

Doyen led briefly in the early stages, but last year’s winner was headed by Gamut after a furlong, with Ace and Mubtaker also close up.

There was plenty of scrimmaging in the early stages as the field went along at a decent gallop.

Kinane, however, was content to stay in the rear and waited until they were in the straight before making his move.

Doyen took it up again three furlongs out, with Ace and Bago putting in their bids for glory.

But, tracking Ace through on the outside of the pack, Azamour made his ground up very quickly and was upsides the leaders a furlong and a half out on the outside.

And he showed no signs of stopping in the closing stages, despite Norse Dancer and Bago challenging strongly.

Kinane said: “I’ve always had every confidence in this horse. From stall 12 I would have had to have raced wide to be handy and I didn’t want to do that, so I left them to it.

“They were killing each other to get a position in the middle and I thought that we were best out of it.

“They went steady for the first half a furlong after the turn and then they went for it. I knew that they would be coming back to me and that’s what happened.

“In fact, he arrived there too quick – he was going too well. Then he just dossed as he does when he gets to the front.

“He’s a very high-class horse. I said to his Highness and to John that I wasn’t going to change what I’ve always done on him.

“I never had any doubts about his stamina. I always thought he’d be better when he stepped up in trip. I always thought a mile and a half would be no problem.”

Kinane was fulsome in his praise for both winner and the winning trainer.

“He scythed through them,” said the rider. “He is a hell of a horse and John Oxx has done a terrific job with him. He is a high-class trainer and a high-class man.”

Oxx said: “I was very impressed with him today.

“Once he started to get going the race was all over. When he gets to the front he does nothing. He thinks that his job is done.

“I didn’t discuss tactics with Michael before the race because that is down to him.

“You never like to hear the commentator saying that your horse will have to pass all the others, but once he started his run he picked them off and he was just in a different league.

“I would expect that the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, which he won last year, would be his next race. Then obviously the Arc is a possibility but I would need to discuss that with the Aga – he also has Shawanda going for the race.

“Belmont is going to be tempting after that, but there is also the Champion Stakes at Newmarket.

“New York was a lucky track for us 10 years ago (when Ridgewood Pearl won the Breeders’ Cup Mile) but I haven’t been back since.”

Predictably, Azamour leapt to prominence in bookmakers’ lists for the Arc de Triomphe.

The colt is as short as 7-2 with Coral and William Hill but Ladbrokes are 5-1, the same price as Derby hero Motivator.

Not for the first time, Jeff Smith was left not knowing whether to laugh or cry after seeing the David Elsworth-trained Norse Dancer hit the frame again.

The owner of the five-year-old, who was notching his 10th placing in Group One company without getting his head in front, said: “We’ve got to be thrilled because Azamour is a champion.

“But it is just so desperately frustrating to have such a good horse and to be second again. I could go through a whole list of Group One races where he’s been beaten a head and a neck, a length or whatever.

“The horse deserves it and the owner and the trainer would like to enjoy it, but it wasn’t to be today.

“He’s run a wonderful race and John (Egan) has given him a great ride.

“He’s headed again for the Irish Champion – we were second to Azamour last year.

“He needs this fast ground – he could even run on hard.”

Elsworth was not at Newbury but he told Racing UK: “Jeff’s a very enthusiastic owner and I’m sure we’ll kick a few ideas around. I rather fancy a southern hemisphere campaign, but we’ll have to see what Jeff thinks.”

Alan Cooper, racing manager to Bago’s owners the Niarchos family, said: “It was a great run. He had a back problem at Saint-Cloud last time and we’ve only lost second on the line here.

“The Arc and the Breeders’ Cup are the plan now, but at least we know we have confirmed his well-being.

“He looked so much happier than he did at Saint-Cloud. We are delighted and satisfied with his run.”

Bago remains a 7-1 chance with William Hill and totesport to retain his Arc de Triomphe crown but was pushed right out to 12-1 by Coral.

The Arc is also the aim for Warrsan, who looked much more like the dual Coronation Cup winner than the incarnation we had seen on the racecourse previously this season.

“It was a rough old race,” said trainer Clive Brittain. “And if he’d had a clearer run then he might have got closer – he got into a lot of problems and when he wanted to get out, he couldn’t.

“But I told everyone that he wasn’t finished yet and I’m thrilled with that. He’ll go back to Baden-Baden now and then on to the Arc.”