3 minute read

Doncaster delight for Roger Varian and David Egan.

Bayside Boy  just edged out hot favourite Reach For The Moon in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster.

Reach For The Moon , who is owned by the Queen, was all the rage for the seven-furlong contest after winning the Solario Stakes last time out – but with just four runners it turned into something of a tactical affair.

Frankie Dettori set out to make all on the 8-13 market leader, with main rival Lusail settled on his heels and the eventual winner sitting last of four through the first four furlongs.

Reach For The Moon started winding up the pace with three furlongs to run, with Lusail soon beaten, leaving Twilight Jet and Bayside Boy to challenge on either side.

Bayside Boy (5-1) took a while to hit his top gear but he really got rolling in the final half-furlong, eventually prevailing by a head for trainer Roger Varian and jockey David Egan.

The winning rider said: "I thought when I hit the front at Newbury (last time when finishing second) he was inexperienced and had a look at the stands.

"I planned to follow Frankie and not go too soon. Mr Varian has been so good to me throughout my career and he's an exciting horse going forward."

Paddy Power make Bayside Boy a 7-2 chance from 6-1 for the Dewhurst and 14s from 33s for the Guineas, with Varian eyeing the Newmarket contest on October 9 for the New Bay colt.

Varian said: "He looked good when he won his novice at Newbury and probably showed his lack of experience when he was worried out of it back at Newbury in a Listed.

"I'm pleased with that today, he showed he'd learned from Newbury and really stuck his head out – he was tough when he needed to be.

"David said he handled the ground and should go on most grounds. Until we need the ground as an excuse we won't use it!

"He's quite a neat horse, he's not a giant. He looks a miler and saw the trip out well today. He'll be a miler next year.

"I'm delighted for connections, he showed that same turn of foot he did first time out.

"We'd like to run him again but it depends on how he comes out of this, he is in all the big races, though, and you'd have to be thinking of something like the Dewhurst."

John Gosden, who trains Reach For The Moon in partnership with his son Thady, felt the conditions had gone against his charge.

He said: "The jockey said he wasn't in love with the ground, he wasn't travelling on it like he normally does.

"It's gone a bit dead, it's drying out after last night's rain and trying to make all into a headwind was just a bit much.

"Better ground, better horse is all I can say.

"Frankie knew he was in trouble from a long way out because of the ground.

"He could run again, there are some nice races left at Newmarket and we'll see what the ground is like."