Hamilton relishing Ranger's Sandown challenge

The North Yorkshire jockey partners Malton trainer Richard Fahey’s four-year-old Forest Ranger, who has already landed the Group Three Earl of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket and the Group Two Huxley Stakes at Chester.

Yet he faces a formidable task in this illustrious 10-furlong race that features Epsom Derby victor Masar, York’s Dante winner Roaring Lion and Aidan O’Brien’s 2000 Guineas champion Saxon Warrior, who makes a quick return to the track after finishing third in last Saturday’s Irish Derby.

“Forest Ranger has got to improve on what he’s done, but he seems on an upward curve and hopefully he will give a good account of himself,” said 34-year-old Hamilton, a stalwart of the Fahey yard.

“It’s going to be a tough race, and you’d be hopeful rather than confident, but it’s great to be involved.”

Forest Ranger was gelded during the off-season, but Hamilton is not sure the operation is the main reason for his improvement.

“Chester was definitely a personal best for him. It was the first time he’s quickened like that and I thought the way he went away from the field was most impressive,” he continued.

“I don’t know whether the gelding operation has had anything to with his improvement, but I doubt it. He’s a gent of a horse and no different than when he was a colt – I’d say it is more that he has just grown into his body.

“He’s a huge horse – the biggest in the yard – and is maturing. He’s just getting better with age and I think he’ll keep getting better.”

Hamilton admits Forest Ranger saves his best work for the racecourse, adding: “I ride him in all his work. He doesn’t do a lot at home and you just go by his well-being and demeanour.

“If you are working him with a 60- or 70-rated horse he will just go with it, but if you take him with a nice horse he’d go with that 
too.

“They are the ones you want – those who don’t do a lot at home, but sprout wings when they get to the track.”

Triple Group One-winning rider PJ McDonald has been elected as the new Flat President of the Professional Jockeys Association.

North Yorkshire-based McDonald, whose career has been taken to new heights by Karl Burke’s stable star Laurens, succeeds the now retired Steve Drowne, who is training to become a stipendiary steward.

The 36-year-old, who won the 2007 Scottish Grand National over jumps before switching to the Flat, joined the PJA Board in 2010 and has also been the Northern Flat Safety Officer since then.

He said: ”I feel privileged to have been asked to stand as PJA Flat President and look forward to assisting them and my colleagues under both codes with current and future issues within the industry.”

William Derby, York Racecourse chief executive added: “York has worked really closely with PJ over the last eight years. His advice and guidance in designing and delivering the new jockeys facilities at York in 2014 was invaluable.”

Jockey Paul Mulrennan believes talented juvenile Que Amoro has a fine opportunity in which to get off the mark at the third attempt when she runs at Beverley tonight.

The two-year-old daughter of Es Que Love, trained at Darlington by Michael Dods, is one of eight declared runners for the five-furlong William Jackson Food Group British EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes.

And she brings to Beverley some really good form, too, having finished an encouraging fifth on her debut at Thirsk in May.

Que Amoro then took another step in the right direction at Carlisle last month, when third in a strong five-furlong novice stakes for fillies.

The winner of that race, Little Kim, was subsequently not beaten far in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot and then won a Group Three in France on Tuesday for the Karlk Burke team.

And Boroughbridge-based Mulrennan said: “She’s a very nice filly, and it’s good to see the form from Carlisle working out so well.

“Hopefully there’s plenty more to come, and this looks an ideal race for her. Beverley’s stiff five furlongs should suit her nicely and it would be disappointing if she was not there or thereabouts.”