Griffiths will not shirk Nunthorpe Stakeschallenge

Though the five-furlong sprint is being billed as the race of the year between American raider Lady Aurelia and rising star Battaash, the Bawtry trainer will not be shirking the challenge.

“If you were afraid of two horses, you would never get out of the stable,” he told The Yorkshire Post.

He was speaking after Take Cover finished fourth to Battaash in the King George Stakes at Glorious Goodwood last week where Duke Of Firenze was unplaced in the Stewards Cup, won by Frankie Dettori’s mount Lancelot Du Lac.

Both were hampered by unseasonably soft ground.

“Take Cover just couldn’t get his feet out of the soft ground, but he was third in the Nunthorpe last year and deserves to take his chance,” said Griffiths.

“Duke Of Firenze loves York and has won twice there now. He was sixth in the Prix de l’Abbaye last year and the Nunthorpe is probably better than expecting him to run off top weight in handicaps.

“I don’t think Duke Of Firenze can beat Take Cover if everything is right – hopefully they will both get there with reasonable each-way chances. It’s good for a relatively small stable to be able to go to places like Royal Ascot, Glorious Goodwood and York.”

With 25 horses in training, and more boxes being built, Storm King’s victory in Goodwood’s finale on Saturday under Eddie Greatrex was the 17th race won by Griffiths, and his wife Sophie, this year. They are well on course to surpass the 19 triumphs that they recorded in 2012.

The meeting saw Middleham’s Mark Johnston become the leading trainer for the 11th time following a final -day double courtesy of old stager Soldier in Action and the exciting prospect Dee Ex Bee whose racecourse debut could not have been more impressive.

After making all under champion jockey-elect Silvestre de Sousa, Doncaster’s Champagne Stakes at the St Leger meeting is a possible target for the two-year-old. Johnston said: “He’s a big scopey horse and when you’ve something like that winning at a big meeting like Goodwood you start to dream.”

Kevin Ryan’s Brando claimed Group One glory in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville after the highly-rated Aidan O’Brien-trained Caravaggio failed to land a telling blow.

Brando kicked off his campaign with victory in the Abernant Stakes at Newmarket before finishing third in last month’s July Cup at the Suffolk venue.

Making his first appearance in France, Brando travelled powerfully in the hands of Tom Eaves and was produced to challenge Signs Of Blessing for the lead in the final furlong.

It was a welcome change of fortune for Hambleton-based Ryan who had to shut down his yard in early June for a few weeks after one of his horses tested positive for equine herpes.

“It’s a great day. We’re delighted with the horse,” said the North Yorkshire trainer. “He ran a good race in the July Cup and he’d tightened up since. He got a great ride and he was exceptional today. We’ll look at Haydock (Sprint Cup, September 9) next.”

Great Habton trainer Tim Easterby’s good run continued with the ultra-consistent Breakable’s win at Chester yesterday. The horse runs in the colours of the Ryedale Partners syndicate.