Roy's the one to beat in York's showpiece '“ Hannon

even THOUGH 15 horses remain in the frame for next Wednesday's £1m Juddmonte International, the richest ever race to be staged in Yorkshire, trainer Richard Hannon is convinced that his champion Barney Roy will 'take all the beating'.
Barney RoyBarney Roy
Barney Roy

It’s fighting talk from Hannon given that the field could include Barney Roy’s former foes Churchill and Ulysses as well as a host of horses with proven Group One form ahead of this 10-furlong test won five years ago by the mesmeric Frankel.

Three-year-old pair Barney Roy, owned by Godolphin, and Churchill have clashed twice so far. Ballydoyle ace Churchill drew first blood when winning the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket but Barney Roy, the mount of James Doyle, turned the tables on his rival with success in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

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Barney Roy has since been beaten by a nose in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown by progressive four-year-old Ulysses – it required a photo-finish to separate the two protagonists after one of the races of the year.

With fifth place Eminent franking the Eclipse form by winning a Group Two contest in Deauville earlier this week, and Barney Roy improving with age as he fills out, Hannon’s grounds for optimism are well-placed.

Hannon said: “Barney Roy is in great form at home and has done very well since the Eclipse.

“He’s had a nice break and will go to Kempton for a bit of work this week.

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“He heads there in fantastic order and the Juddmonte looks the ideal race for him.

“The Eclipse form has been boosted by the victory of Eminent on Tuesday and I think he will take all the beating at York.”

Hambleton’s Kevin Ryan won both divisions of the Nigel’s 60th Birthday EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes at Beverley with two nice prospects in Elnadim Star and Gold Stone.

Tom Eaves, who was aboard both fillies, did not have to work too hard on Elnadim Star. “She’s a lovely filly,” said Ryan.

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“She got a bump first time out and couldn’t really get involved, but she’ll come on a ton for that. We’ve a lot of nice two-year-olds and this one should hopefully keep improving.”

As for Gold Stone, the in-form trainer said: “She’s a lovely filly with a great future. We loved her when we bought her and she’s grown a lot.”

William Buick is set to find out the extent of the injury he sustained in America when he sees a specialist later today.

Buick was riding Mark Johnston’s Permian when the Royal Ascot winner fractured a foreleg and unseated the rider shortly after crossing the line. Initial reports suggested Buick was suffering from a fracture to his T-12 vertebra, but the rider has yet to find out for how long he will be sidelined.

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Meanwhile Johnston’s smart filly Nyaleti is set to skip the Prix Morny at Deauville on Sunday in favour of the Sky Bet Lowther Stakes at York next week.

A winner on her racecourse debut at Salisbury, she was turned out just six days later for the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot where she was runner up to Aidan O’Brien’s 1000 Guineas favourite September.

York hero Ballet Concerto demonstrated his battling qualities as he gained a hard-fought success in the totepool Sovereign Stakes at Salisbury yesterday.

Having claimed the John Smith’s Cup on his previous start, the Sir Michael Stoute-trained four-year-old took the drop back to a mile and step up to Group Three company in his stride.

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Malton trainer Brian Ellison reports stable star Definitly Red to have flourished over the summer.

He’s earmarked Wetherby’s feature Charlie Hall Chase in late )ctober as the early season target for the steeplechaser.

Ellison said Top Notch Tonto, so long his standard-bearer on the Flat, is having a break and will be trained with next summer’s Galway Festival in mind.

Entries for tomorrow’s William Hill Great St Wilfrid are headed by Richard Fahey’s Growl. Fourth in this month’s Stewards Cup at Goodwood when parterned by seven pound claimer Connor Murtagh, he will be ridden by last year’s Ebor-winning jockey Adam McNamara.