6 Monday, July 1, 2019 racingpost.com Racing Post Monday, July 1, 2019 7 JUST FOR FUN INTERVIEW Ascot aces: , Cape Byron HORSE (right) and Daahyeh (below) PLAY Keeping it very real but enjoying the good times

GOOGLING A RUNNER Bushtucker Trial 6.00 Catterick Bushtucker trials are challenges used to allow as the big winners flow contestants on ITV’s hit British reality TV show I’m a Celebrity. . .Get Me Out of Here! the opportunity to gain So how much pressure did down when things food and treats for camp. The feel at the beginning of aren’t going well. I’ve learned two formats of the trials are VARIAN the week? He briefly pauses to horses will bounce back to form eating tasks, where consider the question before and reward your patience. candidates eat a variety of Jonathan Harding delivering a characteristically There’s often something good jungle food, and physical/ considered response. waiting around the corner to mental challenges. speaks to the top “I’m training a two-year-old give you the high again. trainer following a out of so the “I’m delighted with the first EASY AS 1-2-3 memorable Ascot fact we hadn’t struck at the half of our season but that’s not 1. Who was Aidan O’Brien’s meeting for a few years wasn’t to say everything has gone lost on me – which made it older horses such as Defoe and He was warrior-like at Ascot July Cup at Newmarket. I don’t Varian. “You’ve got the three- a trainer if you’re only having a cracked the game because last Coral-Eclipse winner in ATIENCE is bitter, but smoothly. We’ve got some nice even more satisfying,” says the 40-year-old has an enviable again under in-form stable know how a Wokingham year-olds to build the season good year with older runners, there’s always a banana skin 2011? its fruit is sweet. This horses in the background who Varian. record, comparable to that of jockey , powering performance will stack up but around but you can never you have to find a way to lurking around the corner,” the 2. Which David Simcock- often misattributed haven’t made it on to the track “Royal Ascot is a priority at yet after being hit with early Sir Michael Stoute. Five of the to the front in a matter of he’s jumped to a mark of 113, forget about the future. It’s fun balance the stock in the yard.” trainer adds. trained colt won the 2011 July sentiment by French P the start of the season, so there setbacks – there are always nine horses responsible for strides before battling to hold which puts him in the mix, and to see what the two-year-olds Varian’s approach to training “It’s always on to the next Cup? traveller Jean Chardin was a mixture of joy and relief. Varian’s 11 Listed and Group off a late bid from Czech he would deserve to take his can do but we very much look is a quest for equilibrium, one because you can be driving dates to 1711, the same year disappointments.” 3. Which David O’Meara- We didn’t quite hit the back of triumphs in 2019 have been Republic challenger Nagano chance. He’s not a stakes forward to how they can neither getting disheartened by back to the yard after a great Queen Anne first saw the Big winners and expectation trained filly won the 2015 the net at the start of the week aged four or older. Gold to win by half a length. winner yet so if he doesn’t win develop the following season. a wait between successes nor day at the races and get a call potential for a racecourse at go hand in hand and Varian Falmouth Stakes? but you can’t let it affect you. After playing the role of the “Defoe is a gentleman, a high he’ll have plenty of options.” “It’s great if they can win too carried away when all the about a setback at home. East Cote, and rang true in describes training as a pressure We thought our stronger proverbial bridesmaid in five achiever with a straightforward Perhaps Varian’s most some big races – when some of pieces fall happily into place. There’s always something to Ascot’s famous winner’s bubble. Yet, while juggling the THE LIST chances were at the end of the starts at the highest level across approach to life,” says Varian. encouraging winner at Royal them are at their most effective “It would be foolish to get too bring you back down to earth enclosure more than 300 years needs of many and various Four big Flat winners for meeting and we had to have Europe, Defoe defeated “He rarely puts in an ordinary Ascot was his first, Daahyeh, – but you can never be happy as excited and think you’ve with a bang.” later. stakeholders, he maintains his faith they would come in.” heavyweight to performance and people are who is unbeaten in two starts trainer Alan King While his talented string poise. This is faith in the process. end his Group 1 drought at attracted to tough, consistent for owner Sheikh Nasser Bin Who Dares Wins Finally carried the weight of “It’s a rewarding way of life Varian is meticulous in his Epsom in May, following in the horses. His achievements this Hamad Al Khalifa after landing landed the big prize he had expectation unknowingly, and I appreciate how lucky I approach and information is footsteps of 2016 winner and year mark him down as a the Albany. In scoring, she gave long threatened when getting Roger Varian was acutely aware am,” he adds. “Regardless of key. Like any good trainer, he is fellow Sheikh Mohammed special one for us – he knows David Egan, who turned 20 two up close home in the of the importance of scoring at what happens in the day job, not so foolish as to think he can Obaid-owned star . he’s doing well. days earlier, a first success at Northumberland Plate at Royal Ascot. Behind his I’m able to walk through the do it all by himself, and “The King George is the the meeting. Newcastle on Saturday. unfailingly calm demeanour door to my wife Hanako and everyone from riders to ground target and the autumn opens It made victory all the more Chatez 2015 Spring Mile and warm smile there was our three children – it’s easy to staff in his experienced team up more opportunities for him. special. Varian greeted an winner rolled back the years relief as he stood beside his first get back to reality when you are encouraged to give He can’t run in the Arc as a emotional Egan on his way into to take the Spring Cup at winner at the meeting since have a young family.” feedback to build a clear gelding so we might have to the winner’s enclosure aboard Newbury in April. 2014. Hanako is an part of picture of each horse. look at something the 4-1 favourite, exchanged a Primitivo Gave King his first The Classic-winning trainer, the operation at Carlburg He is a trainer who thinks international. He’s been invited few words and gave him a tap Royal Ascot success when now in his ninth season with a Stables in Newmarket, deeply about training. The cogs to the Japan Cup in November on the leg with his racecard. It making it four wins on the licence, is no stranger to dining purchased from Clive Britain are always turning and his for the 2017 season, and has which we may consider as a was the understated reaction of bounce in the King George V at racing’s top table and has sights are fixed firmly on the singled out her favourite long-term goal.” a man who believes there is still Handicap in 2016. been a regular visitor this job at hand. His reflections on far more to come from the season. Defoe’s horse as Defoe. The Grumeti Smart hurdler/chaser the highs and lows of racing are HEN talented jockey. victory in front of the ITV popular grey is sprang a 50-1 surprise in the delivered with clarity and, like encouraged to “It’s been nice to be involved cameras in May was the treasured by the Cesarewitch In 2015. his legendary mentor Michael compare with David’s career,” says crowning glory so far, taking trainer’s family as he Jarvis, he is not the type of Defoe to his Varian, who let Egan keep the the trainer’s global Group 1 has the manners of W person to get carried away with former stable ride when Atzeni was required tally to 17. Mr Darcy at home success. star and Sheema Classic winner to ride Galadriel for retained However, Varian has had to in the yard. “I’m a day-by-day type of guy Postponed, Varian adds: “He’s a owner Obaid. “You wouldn’t bide his time at the royal Varian is and a realist by nature. I different type of horse. He’s meet a more likeable lad and he meeting. He had not had a prolific with learned early on that you have more workmanlike while works very hard. When you victory there since Cursory to stay level during this Postponed was more electric combine those qualities in a Glance won the Albany, but set process,” says Varian, who when winning his Group 1s.” person you want to see them do the record straight in no expressed gratitude to his The older horses are carrying well. uncertain terms this year with owners for contributing to his the torch in what is shaping up “He’s not the finished article three winners on the final two recent form by supplying him to be a career-best season for but he’s improving all the time days. with a stream of high-quality Varian and Cape Byron was and has a bright future. The Daahyeh opened the horses. another five-year-old to deliver same can be said of Daahyeh, floodgates on Friday and relief “You can never let yourself on the biggest stage when who has looked good for a soon turned to elation the get too carried away, but winning the Wokingham, while. Her form stood up following afternoon as Defoe’s equally you can’t get too although it was work-rider strongly with the Queen Mary victory in the Hardwicke kicked Mick Denaro who received the winner Raffle Prize [who she off a memorable five-timer most plaudits. beat at Newmarket] so we had across three cards, with Cape Varian was quick to single a degree of confidence before Byron bringing the curtain him out for praise after the race the race. IN WHICH YEAR . . . down on a productive royal ‘It would be foolish to get as Denaro was the one to “You’d be foolish to think it meeting when landing a suggest dropping Cape Byron to was won before it started did this horse land the gamble in the Coral-Eclipse? six furlongs for the first time in because Royal Ascot is such a Wokingham. too excited and think his career based on his work at tough place to find a winner ALL MIXED UP home. but she was very authoritative.” “It’s very satisfying when a Daahyeh was Varian’s first Rearrange the letters to reveal you’ve cracked the game plan comes together,” says major juvenile success of the the name of Jim Bolger’s 2015 Varian. “It could be argued season and the trainer stresses Yorkshire Oaks winner because there’s always a we’d campaigned him over the the importance of developing Lace Chaps (9) wrong trip for the past few young talent alongside the ANSWERS PAGE 9 banana skin lurking’ seasons but I think he’s just got older stars in the yard. Compiled by Robbie Wilders, David Carr better with age. “It’s a case of balance and and Daniel Hill “We’re very tempted by the progress with any string,” says