Roger Varian enjoys groundbreaking triumph with Shinji's bumper success

Tuesday: Fakenham

Classic-winning trainer Roger Varian can now add a bumper winner to his CV after scoring at Fakenham.

Shinji was on a racetrack for the first time but travelled effortlessly in midfield before quickening away to score by nine lengths under Aidan Coleman.

Varian, who watched the race from home, said: “We should've been there shouldn’t we! We’re very pleased, it’s always nice to have a winner. To see him win as well as he did is very gratifying for the whole team and he’s always looked like a lovely horse.

"We thought we’d look at a bumper as opposed to a Flat race and we couldn’t be more pleased with how it has turned out.”

Varian suggested the gelding's future would lie over jumps, saying: “We’ll see where we go with him. He stays very well, [sire] Kingston Hill we know very well and I think some of the progeny from the mare stay a mile and a half on the Flat.”

Sabbathical delights Williams

The Evan Williams-trained Sabbathical followed up his victory in last year’s 2m½f handicap chase, although this time he was forced to work a little harder for the victory.

The seven-year-old travelled in midfield under Adam Wedge and looked outpaced on the turn for home but a mistake at the last from Moore Clouds offered him a chance and he caught his tired rival approaching the line to win by a length.

Results, replays and analysis

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