PartialLogo
Reports

'He deserved that' - Sir Busker to get another chance at lowering Baaeed colours

William Knight: could bring Sir Busker back to York for the Juddmonte International
William Knight: could bring Sir Busker back to York for the Juddmonte InternationalCredit: Ed Whitaker

Saturday: York

Sir Busker earned the chance of another crack at Baaeed with a battling defeat of one of the superstar's stablemates in the Sky Bet York Stakes.

He was no match for the champion miler in the Queen Anne Stakes but took advantage of a drop to Group 2 company and a step up to 1m2½f, pipping the William Haggas-trained Dubai Honour by a nose under Ben Curtis.

It was his first win since landing the consolation Royal Hunt Cup in 2020.

The six-year-old is a 50-1 shot (from 100) for the Juddmonte International with Paddy Power and trainer William Knight said: "He's in the International because if he was to win today we'd have said why wasn't he. It's such good prize-money and it will have to be seriously considered.

"I'm so pleased for the horse; he deserved that. He's run some massive races over the last couple of years and it's so nice to get his head in front. He loved the step up to a mile and a quarter; we probably should have done it earlier!

"I thought he was a big price when I looked at it this morning. If the step up in trip worked, I knew that he'd be very interesting."

England punished

Jonathan England will have an enforced week off from his day job after being handed a seven-day whip ban following his win on Birkenhead in the 5f Sky Bet Jump Jockeys' Nunthorpe.

He was in front around two furlongs out on the Paul Midgley-trained 25-1 shot but had to get serious to hold on by a neck. He was stood down for using his whip above the permitted level.

The jockey, who is best known for his exploits on jumpers trained by his wife Sam and also won the Rowland Meyrick Chase on Cloudy Too for Sue Smith in 2013, was having his second crack at the race.

"I rode in the race for Paul last year and I didn't have much luck but on paper that lad had a good shout today and he did the job," he said. "It's a privilege to have a winner here."

Jonathan England: seven-day ban
Jonathan England: seven-day ban

Midgley, who also sent out runner-up Leodis Dream and fifth-placed Nibras Again, was winning the race for the third time in just five runnings.

"I always like to have runners in this," he said. "It's a great race for the jumping boys."

Unstoppable Force

Patience paid off for Connor Beasley as he won the £65,000 Sky Bet Dash on Gale Force Maya, a course-and-distance winner last month who finished third in Group 3 company here a fortnight ago.

Trainer Michael Dods said: "She likes to get on with it and we knew there was a lot of pace on, so I said to Connor whatever he did, don't try to have her on the front end.

"Two and a half out he thought he was in trouble because they were going so hard, then he got her a bit of space and he asked her and she came good. When she hits the front, she doesn't want to be passed, she's got the heart of a lion.

"She loves it here. This fitted in well with her next race, which is the Listed Flying Fillies' Stakes at Pontefract."

Replays, results and analysis


Sign up to receive On The Nose, our essential daily newsletter, from the Racing Post. Your unmissable morning feed, direct to your email inbox every morning.


David CarrReporter

Published on 23 July 2022inReports

Last updated 18:11, 23 July 2022

iconCopy