Keith Brown goes double-handed to break his Beverley duck

EAST Yorkshire owner Keith Brown is set to be double-handed in his quest to land a first Beverley winner of the season.
Owners Chris and Joan Brown, with jockey Chris Hayes, after Dream Walker won at Galway in 2016.Owners Chris and Joan Brown, with jockey Chris Hayes, after Dream Walker won at Galway in 2016.
Owners Chris and Joan Brown, with jockey Chris Hayes, after Dream Walker won at Galway in 2016.

Brown, who resides in nearby Swanland, is best known in the racing game for his association with Top Notch Tonto, runner-up in the 2013 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot.

But he loves nothing more than a Beverley winner, and hopes Dream Walker and Moonlit Sands can prevail today.

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Ten-year-old Dream Walker is a popular horse, having earned nearly £200,000 in prize-money – largely through his exploits in big races in Ireland. Following a spell with County Kildare trainer Jarlath Fahey, he is now back in the care of Malton’s Brian Ellison.

Brown said: “Jarlath is a brilliant guy – there was no falling-out, or anything like that – but we just couldn’t get the ground for him over there.

“Ireland had one of the driest summers in memory so we thought it would be a good idea to send him back to Brian’s.

“He’s in super form, but we’d be really hoping for a bit of rain before racing as he loves cut in the ground. If we do get that bit of rain, he’d definitely take all the beating, I’d say.”

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Dream Walker must shoulder top weight in his eight-and-a-half-furlong test, with perhaps recent Carlisle runner-up Ghayyar his biggest rival.

Ellison and Brown combine earlier on the card with Moonlit Sands, who runs in the sprint handicap.

Brown said: “She’s in great order and loves Beverley, having won there before and finishing second a few times. I love having Beverley winners as it’s my local track. We’ve had some bad luck in recent years, though, but hopefully that will change on Tuesday.”

Norton trainer Declan Carroll has earmarked the Gimcrack Strakes at York’s Ebor festival as the next target for Spartan Fighter.

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Having beaten subsequent Royal Ascot hero A’Ali when opening his account at Ripon last month, the juvenile followed up at York at the weekend.

Carroll said: “He won’t be run before the Gimcrack anyway – that will probably be his next race. He’s a work in progress, but he’s going the right way. He was a late foal, so we’re not in any great rush with him.”

Meanwhile Ten Sovereigns – victorious in Newmarket’s Group One July Cup after making virtually all – could line up in the Nunthorpe Stakes at the Ebor festival.

“He would have the option of the Nunthorpe,” said trainer Aidan O’Brien. “We’ll see how he comes out of this race first.”

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Richard Fahey is confident he has the horse to beat in the £250,000 Weatherbys Super Sprint at Newbury on Saturday where Ventura Rebel will spearhead his entries.

The Malton trainer, successful in 2013, 2015 and 2017, could run as many as five horses. Narrowly beaten at Royal Ascot, Fahey said of Ventura Rebel: “I just think this is the ideal race for him.”