In racing, as in life, it is always a good idea to have a Plan B. City Of Troy’s audacious challenge for the Breeders’ Cup Classic here on Saturday was over almost before it had begun, but his owners from the Coolmore Stud syndicate were still all smiles in the winner’s enclosure a few minutes later after Chad Brown’s Sierra Leone, a colt from the American arm of the Coolmore operation, held off Fierceness by a length and a half.

There was always an air of “win or bust” about the bold decision to send City Of Troy to the Classic, and so it proved.

Related: Sierra Leone claims Breeders’ Cup glory as City of Troy flops – live

A slow break put him on the back foot from the start, and the serious action was soon unfolding many lengths in front of him, as Fierceness helped to set a furious pace to halfway. Fierceness was still there a quarter of a mile out but the strong gallop meant he had nothing left as Sierra Leone swept past at the top of the stretch.

Flavien Prat’s mount kept on strongly to win by a length and a half, with Forever Young, the big hope from Japan, back in third. City Of Troy and Ryan Moore eventually crossed the line in eighth place.

“He lost it at the start and obviously I didn’t have him prepared to come out quick enough,” Aidan O’Brien, City Of Troy’s trainer, said. “We thought we did but we didn’t. He missed it and left Ryan with no chance really, the race was over at the start.

“He’s been an incredible horse and it’s so sporting of the lads [in the Coolmore syndicate] to let us have a go at this race. It’s been a pleasure and a privilege to have him and we’ll look forward to having his foals.”

Ryan Moore said that City Of Troy had “run a very brave race”, adding: “He’s come to Del Mar in the Classic, in the previous two Classics [at the track] there were eight or nine runners and today there were 14 and they went very, very fast. He got a lot of kickback, which he hadn’t experienced, which was hard for him. I think he was very brave to keep up.”

If the result of the Classic was an anticlimax after two months of buildup for European racing fans, the earlier races on turf on the main Breeders’ Cup card brought more cause for celebration.

European-trained horses took all three of Friday’s turf events and the run continued on Saturday as Ralph Beckett and Rossa Ryan added a Breeders’ Cup victory with Starlust in the Turf Sprint to their success with Bluestocking in last month’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Kempton 12.20 Johnjay 12.50 Santorini Star 1.20 Dissident 1.50 Heathcliff 2.20 Military Academy 2.57 Andaleep 3.32 Queen’s Company 4.02 Bigbertiebassett (nb)

Plumpton 12.58 Metkayina 1.28 One Last Glance 1.58 Prince Imperial 2.30 Sacre Coeur 3.05 Yellow Star 3.40 Two To Tango 4.10 Batwomen

Hereford 1.38 Fourtowns 2.08 Kilbarry Hill 2.40 Current Mood 3.15 Mirabad 3.45 Bob O Rhino 4.20 Mordred

Wolverhampton 2.15 English Spirit 2.50 Tawajjah 3.25 Profit Rockit 3.55 Zu Run 4.30 Albert Lasker 5.00 Speriamo 5.30 Mykonos St John 6.00 Bossy Parker 6.30 Tillybob

Southwell 4.45 Thankuappreciate 5.15 Cloth Of Gold 5.45 Lolapalooza 6.15 Maui Breeze 6.45 Ziggy’s Queen (nap) 7.15 Alex The Great 7.45 Carlton And Co 8.15 Met Office

Ryan came with a charmed run between horses aboard Starlust, and while the stewards held an inquiry after he nudged Isivunguvungu and Manny Franco on the way through, the result was allowed to stand.

“It was just one of those days,” Ryan said. “Luck was on our side, it opened up so well.

“But whatever about it opening, by the time it did open, I was there, I had the horse.

“This horse has been knocking on the door all year. It’s great to see him finally do it on the big stage. He’s been a bridesmaid. But brilliant, unbelievable performance.”

Rebel’s Romance, from Charlie Appleby’s Newmarket stable, added another win to the European total in the Turf, but there was a sad postscript to the race as Brian Meehan’s Jayarebe collapsed and died from a suspected heart attack while being pulled up.