'He was a champion two-year-old, he's got big figures and he's come back to his best today'

It is dangerous to write off a champion, as Little Big Bear proved with an authoritative return to form that makes him hot favourite to prove himself the best three-year-old sprinter around.

He was the top-rated two-year-old in Europe last season, thanks to an astonishing seven-length win in the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh.

That made his reappearance in the 2,000 Guineas a huge anti-climax, trailing in last of 14 on soft ground at Newmarket and finishing lame.

But brought back to six furlongs from a mile three weeks on, racing on much quicker ground in a Group 2 rather than a Group 1 and teaming up with Frankie Dettori, who knows a thing or two about putting adversity behind you and returning to your best, he bounced back in fine style.

The evens favourite was always travelling well up with the pace, led over a furlong out and scored by a comfortable length and a quarter.

He is now a best-priced 5-2 favourite with Coral to score a second top-level success in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and Dettori expects him to run another big race there.

"He was a champion two-year-old, he's got big figures and he's come back to his best today," the jockey said.

"They had to try the Guineas but it didn't work out and they're back to sprinting. He won in good style today. 

"I always had the race covered. I just pushed him out with hands and heels. The last 20 yards I eased off, he'd got the job done. It was a good confidence-booster ahead of the Commonwealth."

Frankie Dettori (right): lifts the Sandy Lane trophy alongside Betfred owner Fred DoneCredit: John Grossick Racing

Dettori owed his first Sandy Lane Stakes success to the patience of Aidan O'Brien and the team at Ballydoyle, having been offered the mount on Little Big Bear ten days previously.

"They got in touch with me and I said I'd love to ride the horse but I didn't know where I was going to be," he said. "I could have been in Ireland for the Guineas but things didn't materialise. Very kindly they held on for me and I was on the phone on Sunday and said I was going to Haydock."

Seven days before his final Betfred Derby mount, there was a possible omen when Dettori won on another progressive Juddmonte three-year-old from the Gosden yard.

Chester Vase winner Arrest is sure to be hugely popular when he bids to give the jockey a third and final triumph in the Epsom Classic next Saturday.

And his stablemate Covey went off 6-4 favourite before comfortably landing the Betfred Silver Bowl, a supposedly competitive £100,000 handicap, making all and scoring by three and a quarter lengths.

"He's going the right way," Dettori said of the winner. "He was a difficult horse six months ago, he ran off the gallops with me last October, but he's getting his act together and improving all the time.

"I guess the Britannia or Jersey will be on his agenda at Ascot. You always need a decent horse to win this kind of race."

Read more . . .

O'Brien and Moore strike again as Paddington lands Irish 2,000 Guineas  

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