It was another exciting final day of York’s Ebor Festival on Saturday and there was a terrific win for Sonnyboyliston, who did just enough to win the Ebor Handicap for trainer Johnny Murtagh.
Going off at 10/1, the four-year-old gelding came from off the pace on his first handicap start to edge out Quickthorn, who lunged at the line under Jason Hart but had to settle for second.
It was a second win in this race for Murtagh as a trainer, following Mutual Regard’s triumph in 2014, and he is now contemplating where to send his charge next.
The Melbourne Cup at Flemington on November 2 had always been the plan for Sonnyboyliston, but he also holds an entry into the Irish Leger in September and this could now be an option.
Murtagh said: “That (the Melbourne Cup) was the plan – but I’ve got him in the Irish Leger (first), and we’ll have to seriously think about that.”
In the opening race at York on Saturday, Real World produced a dominant performance to win the Group 3 Strensall Stakes and is 10/1 to triumph in the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot on October 16 – a race Mishriff leads the ante-post betting at 3/1.
Valley Forge claimed the spoils in the Melrose Handicap for trainer Andrew Balding, holding off Moshaawer, before Charlie Appleby’s Space Blues took the honours in the Group 2 City Of York Stakes.
In the Listed Julia Graves Roses Stakes, Attagirl came out on top, while Migration edged out Sinjaari to win the penultimate race on the card by a neck.
York’s four-day Festival came to a close with the 17:20 and it was Blackrod who tasted success, holding off Digital by a neck to bring the curtain down on a thrilling meeting.
