Horse racing: Change of scene is forecast for Yorkshire’s leading sprint duo

The former, who still refuses to yield to his veteran status, is set to go sprinting in Dubai this winter while the latter – a first Group One winner in this country for trainer Richard Fahey and jockey Paul Hanagan – is to be retired to stud at the end of the season.

Confirmation of the widely differing plans came after the Prix de l’Abbaye, Europe’s most prestigious sprint, in which Mayson was caught close to home by the French-trained Wizz Kid while the 10-year-old Borderlescott was ninth at Longchamp on unsuitably soft going.

Malton-based Fahey is now considering whether to run his colt one last time in the Qipco British Champions Sprint at Ascot on October 20 before Mayson – six years junior to Borderlescott – is retired to the Cheveley Park Stud to begin stallion duties, a move accelerated by the mudlark’s triumph in the Group One Darley July Cup at Newmarket.

The Cheveley Park operation purchased a majority share in the horse from owner David Armstrong after the unexpected Newmarket win on near bottomless ground.

“He has a bit of a bruised foot but he seems fine,” said Fahey, speaking of Mayson’s brave challenge in France that took the horse’s career earnings, from 18 starts, past the £400,000 barrier.

“It was one of those races where you wish you could go and do it all again, but he’s run a wonderful race. I feel a bit like I’ve had my pocket picked. He’s definitely going to Cheveley Park at the end of the year, so it’s a question of whether he has one more run or not.”

As for the seemingly ageless Borderlescott who forego any chance of stud duties when gelded earlier in his career, he could be prepared for a winter campaign in Dubai after finishing down the field in France.

The dual Nunthorpe winner – the winner of £775,000 from 65 career starts – showed he retains plenty of enthusiasm and ability when winning last month’s Beverley Bullet Stakes at the East Yorkshire track, his first victory in over two years.

He also failed to fire in a heavy-ground Ayr Gold Cup, but trainer Robin Bastiman feels there could be more big days in his veteran when he gets his favoured conditions – hence the possible winter trip to warmer climes.

“The ground was just too soft for him,” said Wetherby-based Bastiman, who is also enthused about in-form jockey Freddie Tylicki’s apparent rapport with his horse of a lifetime.

“He got checked twice, but it didn’t make any difference. He didn’t like the ground but he had his head down and he was trying his best. This horse has never shirked anything in his life.

“We might go to Dubai during the winter. He’ll get fast ground out there and hopefully he’ll get invited. He’ll tell us when he’s had enough, but I don’t see it at the moment. The way he won at Beverley last month, he still enjoys it. I think I’ll retire before him.

“He’s not going to go on forever, but maybe a bit of sun on his back in Dubai will do the old boy good.”

North Yorkshire’s Amy Ryan, meanwhile, moved one clear of rival Darren Egan in the apprentice jockeys’ championship after partnering George Rooke to victory at Catterick yesterday.

The horse is trained by her father Kevin who was delighted with the effort of Indian Jade in finishing third in Sunday’s Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp.

The youngster was a big outsider for the seven-furlong Group One but defied his odds in picking up minor honours behind Richard Hannon’s Olympic Glory, a leading 2000 Guineas contender for next season. Ryan said: “I always knew he had a big race in him.”