He next started at age three in May 1984 at York Racecourse, in the Group 2 Dante Stakes, a major trial for the Derby, finishing tenth.

Ridden positively close to the leaders for the first time, Commanche Run took the lead three furlongs out and won impressively from Shernazar.

Always close up, Commanche Run took the lead four furlongs from home and won by a neck from Baynoun with Alphabatim in third.

He was then third in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes after a duel with the top-class filly Pebbles which saw them beaten by an outsider Bob Back.

In the Benson and Hedges Gold Cup at York he was ridden from the front by Piggott and beat a strong field, including the fillies Triple Crown winner Oh So Sharp and multiple Group 1 winning filly Triptych, with Palace Music the winner of the previous year’s Champion Stakes, and Bob Back well behind.