Rossa Ryan's first big ambition ticked off - and I wouldn't bet against him achieving the second

One of the more surprising elements of Shaquille's remarkable success in last week's July Cup was that it was Rossa Ryan's first Group 1 victory. The 23-year-old has been such a regular in big races since his Group breakthrough in 2019 that you might have assumed he had already won one.

Hindsight is a beautiful thing, but after interviewing him on a quiet weekday meeting at Brighton in August 2021, I should have known that he was destined for the top. By his own admission, he is not the most obviously outgoing jockey, but it became clear he was not only incredibly ambitious but possessed a wise head on his young shoulders. Even at this early stage, he had already encountered more than his fair share of major setbacks.

"This is one of the few sports in which you can be on cloud nine one day and then find yourself at rock bottom the next," Ryan told me. He had just partnered two Group 2 winners at Glorious Goodwood after missing the ride aboard Derby runner-up Mojo Star and being ruled out of Royal Ascot.