 On 7 June at Royal Ascot he contested the Ascot Gold Cup , the year 's most important staying race . Fordham sent him into the lead a mile from the finish and he won easily by three lengths from Dutch Oven and <unk> . On the last day of the Royal meeting he took the lead on the turn into the straight and won by a length and a half from Iroquois and eight others under top weight of 138 pounds to take his second Hardwicke Stakes . His winning time of 2 : 37 was considered exceptionally fast for the date . By this time he was being described as " about the best horse of the day in England " , and " the present champion of the English turf " , although he was also called " a bad horse to ride " . An example of Tristan 's problematic behaviour came on Newmarket Heath that summer when he attacked a horse named <unk> , who was acting as his training companion . <unk> was left lame whilst his rider , whom Tristan also attempted to savage , escaped with a black eye . Another of Tristan 's " victims " was a stable boy , whom he reportedly " shook like a rat " . His poor behaviour was blamed for contributing to his two defeats at Newmarket in July . 
