Bay opens up Group race options after bounding to Ebor glory

Daiquiri Bay will now have his sights raised even higher after continuing his impressive campaign on Saturday with a tenacious success in the Sky Bet Ebor Handicap at York.

The son of New Bay followed up wins at Newmarket, and in the Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot, when putting in a career best display in the prestigious prize on the Knavesmire to make it a hat-trick of wins for the season.

Showing great heart late on under Rossa Ryan, the four-year-old gelding knuckled down when it mattered most to get up and prevail by a head from recent Goodwood winner Hopewell Rock.

And although the victory earned Daiquiri Bay a slot in the Melbourne Cup at Flemington in November, all roads now look set to lead to Ascot on October 17th for a tilt at the Group One Qatar Racing British Champions Long Distance Cup.

Alan said: “It was a wonderful result. It was very emotional, but it was great for the whole team. He was always in the right place as we wanted to sit around fifth of sixth, which he was.

“He got a lovely run round. It was fairly smooth watching, bar from the last few strides where it was nip and tuck. He is a tough horse, and we know that, and it was a great ride from Rossa. It really was a smashing day.

“It was emotional, but I think the older I get the more emotional I get. It was certainly up there with the great days we have had as those big handicaps tough to win. I’m thrilled for Rossa as well as he is a huge help to me, and we have become great friends.

“It has to be a better performance than his win at Royal Ascot as he was racing off a mark that was five pounds higher in what was probably one of the strongest handicaps in Europe.

“He was A1 on Sunday morning. He got back late on Saturday night, but he had eaten his dinner within about fifteen minutes when he got back.

“He is not going to go to Australia for the Melbourne Cup. He might now head to the Long Distance Cup on Champions Day. It would be a step up two miles, but now he is relaxing much better he should get it.

“Hopefully, he can turn into a cup horse as he is going the right way.

Finishing back in eleventh behind Daiquiri Bay was his stablemate Paradias, who Alan feels did well to finish as close as he did given the difficult start to the race that he endured.

Alan added: “He was fine, but he lost his race at the start as he got knocked sideways. He was last early on when the plan was for him and Daiquiri Bay to sit upsides each other.

“It was no fault of Kieren’s (Shoemark) just the horse on his outside came across and pole axed him. He actually ran well as he got into it, but those early exchanges caught up with him late on. He was fine on Sunday morning as well.

“I’m not sure what we do with him now as he has been a tricky horse to place all year. We might go back jumping with him, but we will see.”