'He felt a different horse today' - Gregory returns from 476-day break better than ever at York

Click here to add us to your Google preferred sources or find out more here

Who knew that 16 months off might actually improve a horse? It sounds unlikely but James Doyle was convinced that Gregory was better than ever after he made a winning return from a 476-day layoff.

Wathnan Racing's six-year-old certainly showed little sign of rustiness as he battled to victory in the Listed Sky Bet Grand Cup, his first since landing the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot in 2023.

The manner of his success delighted the jockey, who said: "We've always felt there's a big day in this horse and I think there are better things to come from him.

"He's run in top races before and didn't quite come up to the mark, but he felt a different horse today; he travelled well and usually he's off the bridle four or five out and makes you work hard.

"Today, he took me right deep into the race down inside the three on the bridle, so I knew he'd hit the line strong. He was very game."

Asked whether the John and Thady Gosden-trained Gregory could now tackle the Goodwood Cup, Doyle said: "He's run in that before and run well, but I think he's a different horse now. The staying division is pretty decent so he does need to improve a bit, but hopefully he can dip his toes in those waters."

Reflecting on his comeback, the jockey said: "It's an expert job by the guys. He'd had a hell of a long time off the track and everyone has played a little part in this fellow.

"Holly Campbell is a good friend of Wathnan and looks after some of our recuperating horses. She took him and has done a marvellous job. And John and Thady are masters of their craft. He was in great shape going into today."

Thunder clap

Australian Zac Lloyd warmed up for Royal Ascot by riding the third winner of his stint in Britain on Thunder Call in the £125,000 Churchill Tyres Sprint.

Zac Lloyd: already among the winners and Royal Ascot on the horizonCredit: Jeremy Ng (Getty Images)

"Confidence is a great thing in a jockey and if you can get it rolling into probably the biggest week in the world, it's not a bad thing," he said.

Finding himself in front sooner than expected did not faze the 4-1 second-favourite, who held off 7-2 market leader Red Spells Danger by half a length.

"He had a light weight and he's probably looking for seven furlongs now, so I didn't want to be boxed in and make him dash up a furlong and a half," said Lloyd.

"A gap opened in front of me and I asked him to improve sooner than you'd have liked, but I thought I'd trust the horse. He was a sitting duck two furlongs out, so full credit to him. I thought he was gone half a furlong out, but he felt other horses and surged again."

Champagne success 

What a start. Sophie Dobson won her body weight in champagne, which she is too young to buy for herself, by getting off the mark in the most prestigious women's amateur race of the season.

She is 17 and was having only her sixth ride on Dunkeld Dreamer, a mount she got because the Nick Bradley Racing three-year-old had just 8st 12lb in the £25,000 Queen Mother's Cup.

Sophie Dobson won her body weight in champagneCredit: David Carr (racingpost.com/photos)

But Dobson has the pedigree of a jockey, with father Scott a former amateur all-weather champion and mother Catherine having also ridden and worked for Karl Burke for 25 years.

And she got Dunkeld Dreamer up in the closing stages of the mile-and-a-half race to pip Natasha Cookson on Humble Spark by a nose.

"I want to be a jockey and I've started off in a nice place," she said. "She's such a hard filly; she battled through. When she turned into the home straight, she felt like she gathered up some more energy and off she went."

Dobson has been with Burke for six months and the trainer said: "She's a very hard worker. It was Nick's idea to enter for this race and he said we'll have a real light weight, have we got anybody who can do it? Sophie was that person.

"She didn't listen to a word I said about instructions. But she obviously knew what she was doing."

Extremely nice

Extremely Zain looked extremely short as 2-1 favourite in a field of 19 for the 7f handicap – until the race got under way and he made that price look generous by bursting clear for an easy two-length win.

The winner, like Thunder Call trained by William Haggas, is now favourite for the Bunbury Cup, but is also entered in the Sussex Stakes and a step up in class is imminent.

"He's a nice horse," said Philip Robinson, racing manager to owner Sheikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum. "He's definitely Group material; whether he's the top class we'll have to wait and see. 

"It will be up for discussion, but I know the owner is very keen to go for Group races as soon as possible."

Mick Naughton funeral information

The funeral of former trainer Mick Naughton, who died last week at the age of 82, will be held at 2.20pm on Tuesday, June 23 at York crematorium (Bishopthorpe YO23 2QD), followed by a wake at York racecourse’s paddock restaurant.

Naughton trained more than 300 winners, notably landing the Great St Wilfrid Handicap and Mecca Bookmakers Hurdle, and had runners-up in the Arkle Chase, Hennessy Gold Cup and Whitbread Gold Cup.

A collection for the Injured Jockeys Fund will be made in his memory. Those wishing to donate or to attend the funeral are asked to contact glynisfrew@gmail.com

Read more:

'I hope the King and Queen will forgive me' - Sunday Times royal editor skips Trooping of the Colour to ride winner for Jamie Osborne 

Looking for free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.