CROWN PRINCE
Favourite wins first Ebor for trainer Varian & jockey Atzeni
FUJAIRA PRINCE was again the punters’ king as he added to a Royal Ascot triumph by justifying 11-2 favouritism in the Sky Bet Ebor Handicap.
The six-year-old, described as “fragile” by trainer Roger Varian (above), went into Europe’s richest handicap with just seven career starts under his belt.
But, as when netting a gamble as the 3-1 market leader for the Copper Horse Handicap on the royal heath in June, the grey – aided by soft ground on the Knavesmire – had the fortitude to carry the hopes of those who backed him with a half-length defeat of 22-1 chance Glencadam Glory.
Jockey Andrea Atzeni, like Varian, was landing the race for the first time.
It has been 13 years since the last favourite was successful – the Luca Cumani- saddled Purple Moon (7-2).
Atzeni said: “He was very impressive at Ascot after a year off.
“He went up 9lb since winning there and the plan after Ascot was always the Ebor.
“Roger has trained him for this race and the ground came up perfectly for him. He likes soft ground and he stays very well.
“You can put him anywhere in a race – he relaxes. And when you let him down he gives you everything.”
Having scored from a British Horseracing Authority mark of 108, Fujaira Prince is now destined to test his mettle in Group company, with the Group 2 Long Distance Cup on Ascot’s QIPCO British Champions Day card on October 17 the most likely assignment.
Varian had spent the weekend with his parents – yesterday’s race came 10 years and a day after the murder of his brother Christopher.
The trainer said: “I’m not sure if he is a Melbourne Cup horse.
“We’ll see what [owner] Sheikh Mohammed Obaid wants to do, but I think we could freshen him up and maybe look at the stayers’ race on Champions Day.
“Having said that, you can’t take anything for granted with this horse. The expression ‘ made of glass’ would apply to this guy.”
Safe Voyage will return to the highest level after making all the running under Jason Hart to beat 13-8 favourite One Master by three and a half lengths in the Group 2 Sky Bet City Of York Stakes.
The Prix de la Forêt over seven furlongs at Longchamp on October 4 and the one-mile Queen Elizabeth II Stakes 13 days later are possible targets and trainer John Quinn said: “He could do both and there’s the Breeders’ Cup.”
The ground came up perfectly for him... and he stays very well