Impressive Persian Force’s Brocklesby Conditions Stakes victory is the culmination of Rossa Ryan’s Doncaster hat-trick
Ryan rode 120 winners in 2021 in a breakthrough campaign that included a high-profile sophomore success at the Curragh in his native Ireland on Go Bears Go.
Now Persian Force appear to have the chance to take the ambitious jockey’s career to the next level after running away with the SBK Brocklesby Conditions Stakes.
Mehmas’ colt cost 225,000 euros as a yearling and looks set to take a high place in the two-year-old division, judged on his performance in the first race of the season on flat turf.
The equal-sized favorite traveled well for Ryan before setting sail for home – quickly putting the race to bed as he sailed four and three-quarter lengths away from Primrose Ridge.
Last year’s winner Chipotle then scored at Royal Ascot and it wouldn’t be surprising if Richard Hannon-trained Persian Force showed up at the showpiece meeting in June.
Ryan said: “We loved it at home.
“He didn’t do much, but what he did he did well and very professionally. Today was the same and he will improve.
“Hopefully we’ve only scratched the surface of what’s under the hood. He glanced at the crowd and went to do his job.
“They did a good canter and I was always cantering over them. He has speed packages and I think when he goes up to six furlongs he will be much better equipped. He will be nice.
Ryan completed a brace on Arthur’s Realm for trainer Ed Dunlop in the SBK Spring Mile Handicap.
The Galway-born racer delivered the four-year-old with a solid late run to beat A Boy Named Ivy by a length and three-quarters before winning the SBK Doncaster Mile Stakes over the Hannon-trained Chindit.
Prophetically, this afternoon was marked by the fatal injury suffered by The Last Lion, winner of Brocklesby in 2016 at Kempton – the horse trained by Mark and Charlie Johnston was responsible for veteran jockey Joe Fanning’s first Group 1 victory .
Meanwhile, former champion jockey Silvestre de Sousa’s decision to go freelance paid off when Johan made his successful debut for the Mick Channon team with an impressive performance in SBK Lincoln on Town Moor.
A six-time winner for William Haggas, the five-year-old changed yards in the offseason and was an impressive winner for De Sousa, who was previously retained by King Power Racing.
De Sousa said: “He traveled brilliantly. I followed the lead horse and put the race to bed when I asked him to go.
“I am excited, absolutely thrilled. I’m independent this year, I’m just starting. This victory is always a big help and I just hope all the coaches can watch this and support me.
“The owners have been brilliant with me, as has Mick Channon. He always gave me a lot of rides. I’m on the moon.”
The Brazilian-born rider wasn’t the only former champion jockey to achieve major racing success – Country Grammer provided 51-year-old Frankie Dettori with a fourth success at the Dubai World Cup in Meydan.
The Lord North, ridden by Dettori, and the Japanese rider Panthalassa had already been exhausted in the Dubai Turf.
Joking that he can’t take a lap in the Randox Grand National on Saturday weekdays, Dettori says he will keep his races to a minimum ahead of the Newmarket Craven meeting in mid-April and the first classic practice.
