'He was just a different level' - well-bred debutant strikes for James Tate

Wednesday: Wolverhampton

The well-bred Majestic Warrior confirmed the promise of his pedigree when making a winning debut for James Tate in the 1m½f maiden.

The three-year-old son of Churchill is a half-brother to Nichols Canyon, twice a Listed winner on the Flat and a Stayers' Hurdle hero, as well as 2020 Ebor winner Fujaira Prince.

He kick-started a good day for jockey Rossa Ryan, who helped the colt justify favouritism before landing the 7f handicap aboard the Dave Loughnane-trained Plumette.

Tate said: "The dam has produced three black-type winners already but they’re not known for being two-year-olds so we minded Majestic Warrior last year. He had a couple of pieces of work over Christmas and new year and had been showing up nicely. Fortunately he transferred that over to the track today.”

The last of Nichols Canyon’s eight top-level hurdle wins came in the Stayers’ at the 2017 Cheltenham Festival, and a step up in trip on the turf is on the cards further down the line for Majestic Warrior.

“On paper he might have needed a stronger test of stamina and I was a little bit concerned that they weren’t going very quick and we were stuck behind the horse going backwards around the bend but fortunately he was just a different level to his opponents today,” said Tate.

“He’s bred for the grass rather than the all-weather and I could see us giving him a little break. He could run in a novice with a penalty and just get a little bit of experience of the green stuff before he goes up to a high class hopefully.”

Brilliant Billy

Sixteen-year-old Billy Loughnane needs just two more winners to ride out his 7lb claim after steering his father Mark’s City Escape and Broughtons Flare to success to take the young rider to 18 career winners.

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