Luca Cumani is hoping to land a second successive Tote Ebor next month after watching Boreas overcome a 654-day absence to win the Cuisine De France Rated Stakes at York yesterday.
It was a splendid piece of training by the Newmarket-based handler to have Boreas fit and ready to win a competitive-looking event after such a long spell off. The bay gelding led over a furlong out and stayed on really well for Jamie Spencer to beat Ligne Gagnante by three lengths.
A delighted Cumani, who sent out Vicious Circle to win the Ebor in 1999, said with a smile: "Boreas will come back for a little race here in August which begins with "e" and ends in "r". I can't quite remember the name!
"I was confident I had him straight enough to win and as he is fit it is not necessary for him to have another run before the Ebor."
Hot Tin Roof chalked up her third Listed race success of the campaign in the Stanley Racing Summer Stakes.
The filly was also the middle leg of a near 379 to 1 treble for jockey Kevin Darley.
Darley has never been beaten in four rides on Eastern Trumpeter, the winner of the opening Mr Kipling Exceedingly Good Stakes.
The four-year-old was gaining his ninth success since in-form trainer Milton Bradley snapped him up at the sales for only 1,200 guineas two years ago.
Darley completed his treble aboard Saratov in the Ramesys Maiden.
Mark Johnston was confident Saratov would come on for his debut run at Haydock and he did, battling on gamely under Darley's driving to get back up and beat Hurricane Floyd by half a length.
