Royal Ascot on the agenda for Esquire as connections ponder big-race options after 'surprise' Greenham win

Esquire could be destined for Royal Ascot after delivering a 16-1 shock in the Watership Down-sponsored Greenham Stakes.

Owners Cheveley Park Stud admitted the gelding produced a "huge surprise" having finished 15 lengths behind the reopposing Ballymount Boy when last seen in October.

But he seemed a different proposition on his first start of the season for David O'Meara as he plugged on gamely and pulled clear to win with some authority under Danny Tudhope.

As a gelding he is unable to run in the 2,000 Guineas, but the Jersey Stakes at the royal meeting could be his aim.

"That was a huge surprise," said Cheveley Park's managing director Chris Richardson. "We came here to find out whether he'd be a six-furlong or seven-furlong horse. I thought Danny gave him a beautiful ride and the ground is a factor; he does like a bit of ease in the ground as he's quite a heavy horse.

"I'm thrilled and for David too as he's a trainer we always support. We could go to the Jersey Stakes, that would be the obvious one."

O'Meara was celebrating a first Group success since Lord Glitters won in Dubai last February and this broke a domestic three-year drought at that level.

"There are plenty of nice races for him as there always would be for a nice horse," said the Yorkshire-based trainer. "We loved him before his maiden. He ran second in a Listed race at York and disappointed on heavy ground. I thought he could finish fourth or fifth but I wasn't certain he'd win."

Esquire could take on Zoum Zoum at Ascot after Ralph Beckett suggested the Group 3 could be the target for the gelding after he dead-heated for second with El Bodon.

Veteran strikes

Hamish became just the seventh horse to win a Group-race in Britain aged eight or older when he extended his unbeaten run to five in the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Stakes (registered as the John Porter).

Hamish: Tom Marquand drives him out to land the John Porter Credit: Alan Crowhurst

Under Tom Marquand, Hamish triumphed in a three-way tussle to the line, getting the better of Al Qareem and Salt Bay. He was cut to 33-1 (from 50s) for the Group 1 Coronation Cup but is likely to try to defend the Ormonde Stakes at Chester next. 

Haggas said: "I was delighted. He doesn't really do a lot in front. The ground wasn't really soft enough, he had a 3lb penalty but he keeps winning. It'll be the Ormonde or the Yorkshire Cup – it always rains at Chester, so I suppose it'll be that next."

The jockey-trainer combined for a second winner on the day when Economics took the mile maiden stakes. The 4-6 favourite powered clear to set up a shot at a better grade with the Dante among races being considered by Haggas.

"I'm half-tempted to go," he said of the Dante entry. "I'm not sure he's going to get a mile and half though. We could look at a mile stakes race, we'll have to think about it."

Big payday

Jack Channon is quickly becoming a specialist in big mile handicaps and Metal Merchant scooped another big prize for him in the £70,000 OLBG Spring Cup.

The four-year-old held off favourite Godwinson to strike at 12-1. It is a second big prize since Channon took over from father Mick after Johan won the Golden Mile at Glorious Goodwood in the trainer's rookie year last summer.

He said: "I was quietly confident he'd run a nice race but in these big handicaps you can be on the wrong side and all sorts, but that was a very smart performance.

"He was a decent two-year-old and three-year-old but it wasn't until we gelded him that he really flourished. He's going to be a nice horse to go for those big mile handicaps."

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