Ryan delights in French sojourn

The Hambleton trainer has endured an up-and-down season this year, with Brando’s fortunes appearing to mirror that.

The five-year-old started the season with victory in the Abernant Stakes at Newmarket, but was blown away on Knavesmire in May.

That preceded a spell where Ryan had to close his Hambleton Lodge stables in early June after one of his horses was found to have Equine Herpes.

It seemed to be a case of starting again for the season by the time Brando ran in the July Cup, though he showed some promise when finishing fast for third in the Group One at Headquarters.

That promise was fulfilled on Sunday, as he travelled supremely well behind the leaders under Tom Eaves, before taking the French Group One – and over £185,000 in prize money – by half a length from Aclaim.

Ryan reserved praise for both horse and jockey on Monday.

The trainer said: “It was a fantastic performance by horse and jockey and was a great day.

“It was beautiful ground over there and he travelled unbelievably in the race. The way he came through to win was also very impressive.

“Tom asked what I thought before the race and I said ‘you know him better than me now, just ride him as you find him’.

“Tom gets on great with the horse, knows him really well and to do that in a Group One just shows how much confidence he has in the horse.”

Ryan also gave an ominous warning to any future opponents after that impressive French sojourn.

He said: “He’s a great horse, but he can get better.

“He’s a horse that, from the day we bought him, we looked after him as a very good horse. He was always going to be a slow burner and take time to mature.

“I felt yesterday that he was going to be a better horse than in the July Cup, as he had an interrupted preparation for Newmarket.

“He’s very laid back at home, in the home environment he doesn’t really do a lot. You have to take him away to get the work into him and that wasn’t possible before the July Cup.”

A host of Group One prizes look the main aim for Brando now, with Ascot, Haydock and another trip to France all in the reckoning.

Ryan said: “Haydock (Haydock Sprint Cup) is the obvious race for him and I wouldn’t be against stepping him up to seven furlongs for the Foret (at Chantilly). There’s also Champions Day at Ascot.

“Of the three, he’ll probably take in two of them. He’s so versatile regarding ground nowadays.”

There won’t be any mountains to climb at Catterick this afternoon, but the equine namesake of Nepalese sherpa Tenzing Norgay could scale the heights in the CNG Handicap at the North Yorkshire venue.

Sir Mark Prescott’s grey only returned to action last month, finishing third over two miles at this track, before going on to fill the same position, though much closer to the winner, at Sandown last time.

Those two runs could have put him in top trim for his return to Catterick and he is taken to land the spoils, ahead of more local challengers Be Perfect and Pumblechook.

Avon Breeze signed off her racing career in the best possible fashion as the in-foal 12-1 shot won the Armstrong Memorial Handicap in the hands of apprentice Lewis Edmunds at Ripon.

As so often happens, the eight-year-old mare has taken her form to new heights now that she is in foal.

Trainer Richard Whitaker looked to nick some black type at Chester just 24 hours previously but she came up short.

However, Avon Breeze, who is in foal to Equiano, sprouted wings down the centre of the track to win the £20,000 handicap at 12-1 in the hands of apprentice Lewis Edmunds.

Whitaker said: “We had wanted to get her in foal early, to be honest, but she didn’t take until her third covering, which I’m delighted about.

“To get three wins out of her while she’s been in foal is unbelievable.

“Having run on Sunday and started so slowly this time, it was looking a bit grim. I can imagine what people were thinking, but she flew home.

“She’s from a very speedy family but the syndicate I own her with are talking of the sales so we’ll have to see what happens.

“Ripon has been a lucky track to me but I can’t believe it is 17 years since Lago Di Varano won this race. We also won it with Pipers Note (2014).

“Lewis has ridden all my winners (seven) this season, I’m just sorry he doesn’t work for me!”

Championship leader Silvestre de Sousa notched another double.

He took the opener on Roger Varian’s Elation (7-4 favourite), who looks a filly with a future.

Mark Kershaw, representing owners Highclere Thoroughbred, said: “We’re very pleased with that, it looked a nice maiden.

“She didn’t have the best of draw (two) and the ground was softer than she’d like.

“I think seven furlongs on nice ground will see her in a better light.”

De Sousa also won the mile-and-a-half handicap on Richard Hannon’s Pete So High (100-30).

Jedd O’Keeffe’s good run continued as Komodo (11-8 favourite) kept responding to pressure to win the mile-and-a-quarter handicap for PJ McDonald.

“He’s a lovely horse, all he wants to do is please you,” said O’Keeffe.

“I’ve been quite selective with his races because I want to protect his profile as he’s for sale.

“I think he’d make a cracking hurdler and PJ said he’d definitely stay further but there’s no need in going up in trip yet.

“We’ll just carefully pick where we go with him but obviously I’d love to keep him.”

McDonald had earlier landed the seller on Scot Dixon’s Ebitda (7-1) but there was no bid for the winner.

Joe Fanning celebrated his 100th winner of the year on William Haggas’ Nathaniel filly Tarte Tropezienne (11-8 favourite) in the 12-furlong maiden.

“She was only ever just doing enough and could even get further,” said Fanning.

ends