Sir Ron Priestley's Jockey Club Stakes
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Group 2 Glory for Sir Ron Priestley Jockey Club Stakes win tops May Day treble ITH A roll of honour looked a dangerous opponent. In all, a in the aftermath of the Newmarket race, Layton Stud and James Lambert, made all featuring the likes of quality field of five went to post. winning jockey Franny paid tribute to the the running under Ben Curtis. W Persimmon, Sceptre, From the start, Franny Norton on Sir horse’s attitude. Quickening off the front two furlongs Ardross, Unfuwain, Shirocco, Silver Ron Priestley and Ryan Moore on ‘He’s just an out and out out, Mountain Brave was never really Patriarch and Defoe as past winners, the Thunderous set out in front and had soon warrior. It doesn’t matter extended and kept on to score by Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes has long been crossed to the far rail, pursued by Martin what trip, he’ll run his heart a length and a quarter from established as one of the best early season Dwyer on Pyledriver. Sir Ron was in his out for you,’ he said. Danzan. middle-distance events. element, bowling along in front on ground Sir Ron’s Group 2 win This was a fifth career success In fact, when the race was first he seemed to be enjoying. Increasing the was just the first leg of a for Mountain Brave, who is established back in 1894, it was held in the tempo with three furlongs to race, he May Day treble achieved effective over both six and seven autumn over 10 furlongs, but soon initially looked likely to be challenged by at three different tracks. furlongs. extended to a mile and six furlongs in Thunderous, who was pushed along by At Goodwood, Sheikh 1901. The switch to a mile and a half on Ryan Moore, but two furlongs out Hamdan bin the Rowley Mile course and a springtime Pyledriver was switched off the fence to Mohammed’s Desert slot in the racing calendar came in 1963. launch his challenge. Safari won a five- This year’s renewal of the race took furlong handicap under place on May 1. Among the field of five ESPONDING gamely, Sir Ron Joe Fanning. horses going to post at Newmarket were pulled out more for Franny, The Slade Power Sir Ron R two Johnston Racing entries, keeping on really strongly to gelding, a four-year- Sir Ron Priestley and Priestley and Thunderous, each score by two and a quarter lengths from old, took the lead with Franny Norton with attempting to give the yard its fourth Pyledriver, with Thunderous staying on a furlong to run and groom Barry Lusted winner of the race after Jukebox Jury well for third, two lengths adrift of the kept on well to (2010), Universal (2013) and second. outpoint Stone of Communique (2019). This was Sir Ron Priestley’s seventh Destiny by a head. Sir Ron Priestley was fresh from his career success, and his first at Group 2 The race gave success in the Listed Further Flight Stakes level. Connections were also delighted that Desert Safari both at Nottingham in April. That win over a Thunderous had shown improved form his first win on turf, mile and three-quarters came after a from Sandown, especially on this, his first and, surprisingly, his lengthy lay-off through injury, and there start over a mile and a half. first win at the were concerns pre-race that the Paul Having finished second in the St Leger distance. Joe was Dean’s Australia entire was very heavy as a three-year-old, Sir Ron was always delighted with the when compared with his racing weight at likely to be considered for a campaign in win. the time of the St Leger. the cup races, and indeed ran just two ‘Desert Safari is Thunderous was attempting to atone for weeks after his Newmarket win in the a nice horse and the a disappointing reappearance in the Yorkshire Cup at York over one mile six trip seemed to be Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown just furlongs. He ran well but was a slightly ideal,’ he told the over a week earlier. Highclere disappointing third of five to Spanish Klarion. Thoroughbred Racing’s Night Of Thunder Mission. ‘He’s got plenty of colt was looking to show something closer But the way he had travelled and picked speed and I think he can hold his to the form of his Dante win last July. up in the Nottingham race encouraged own in a better grade. He has plenty of connections to believe he might be ability.’ EADING the opposition was competitive at the top level over a mile H Pyledriver, winner of the King and a half. His performance in the Jockey HE treble was completed at Edward VII Stakes and Great Club Stakes has confirmed that T Doncaster where another four- Voltigeur Stakes last term, who finished impression, opening up a whole new range year-old, Mountain Brave, was a third in the St Leger before dropping back of targets for the horse. comfortable winner of a six-furlong down in trip to contest the Champion Mark said the Hardwicke Stakes at handicap. Stakes. Al Zaraqaan, impressive in landing Royal Ascot and the King George might Conceding weight to all six of her a Kempton handicap in March, also be considered. Interviewed by ITV Racing rivals, the Sepoy filly, owned by East 16 17.