Nayyir set for big things
Nayyir graduated to the big time at Epsom today as he ran away with the Vodafone Diomed Stakes.
The winner of a minor handicap at Beverley on his previous start, Nayyir took this Group Three contest with consummate ease.
Having always travelled smoothly, the 5-1 winner was sent on by Eddie Ahern with just under two furlongs to travel and he quickly went away from his rivals to beat Highdown by three lengths with Wannabe Around in third.
Trainer Gerard Butler will now review his options for the gelding, who could be on a handy mark if pitched into the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot, in which he is set to carry 9st 2lb (including a 7lb penalty for this success).
However, connections also have the Group Two Queen Anne Stakes at the same meeting to consider.
‘‘It was a calculated risk to come here as we knew he could pick up the penalty,’’ said Butler. ‘‘We’ll absorb the moment and we’ll see how he is before we make a decision about where we should go with him.
‘‘He is in the Queen Anne too and there was also a seven-furlong handicap for him but I suspect his handicapping days are now over.’’
Yorkshire stables had held sway in the first two events.
Middleham-based Mark Johnston sent out 11-8 favourite The Bonus King to take the Vodafone
Woodcote Stakes.
A winner at Ripon on his previous start, the son of Royal Applause took the lead from Fleetwood Bay with two furlongs to travel and held off the challenges of Richard Hannon’s pair, Monsieur Boulanger and One Last Time, by half a length and the same.
Johnston, who is eyeing the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot for the winner, said: ‘‘This horse is bred to sprint and is built to sprint, but he started to worry us a bit early in the year as he was that laid back he was showing nothing at home.’’
And Richard Fahey was the toast of punters across Britain after completing an amazing across-the-card 299-1 treble in the first race at all three Flat meetings.
Having sent out Love Thing and Dakota Sioux to take the openers at Doncaster and Haydock, the Malton trainer completed the hat-trick within 25 minutes after Vintage Premium took the EDS Handicap.
The field split into two groups coming into the home straight but it was those who stuck to the far rail who came out clearly on top, Vintage Premium and stable apprentice Paul Hanagan scoring by a length and a quarter from Counsel’s Opinion.
‘‘I walked the course from Tattenham Corner and was adamant that the better ground was under the far rail,’’ said Fahey. ‘‘I told Paul to make sure that he was in front turning in and it’s nice when things work out.’’
Ted Durcan was banned for one day (June 17) after he was found guilty of careless riding on the unplaced Pasithea.
