Byron foils Grand gamble

A SUBSTANTIAL gamble on Grand Reward went off the rails in the feature contest at Newbury yesterday when 9-1 chance Byron held off the Irish raider’s late challenge by three-quarters of a length to win the Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes.

In fact, Byron was confirming the form of the pair's last outing where the David Loder-trained colt had finished a neck in front of his rival only for the stewards to reverse the placings after interference between them.

And Loder admitted that he had been shocked to see the price of his charge, given the recent formlines on offer.