3 minute read
Kevin Ryan's Syphax swooped late and fast to collar 10-11 favourite Best Of Days and spring a surprise in the Tattersalls Acomb Stakes at York.
A winner on debut at Musselburgh, he looked green that day and was sent off at 16-1 in Group Three company.
William Buick looked to have everything covered on Hugo Palmer's Best Of Days with a furlong to run.
But Jamie Spencer brought Syphax with a withering run down the centre of the track and he got up to win by a head. Lockheed was third.
Spencer said: "He was quite raw early - he picked up good.
"He lost sight of what I wanted to do with him for a few strides, but then he started to motor again.
"He didn't learn a lot at Musselburgh so this was probably like a horse having his first run."
Ryan said: "He's a lovely horse and has a great temperament. On his first run he was very green and clueless.
"Jamie is tremendous on horses like this. He holds them together and lets them find their stride.
"He's just a big baby and could be a very exciting horse.
"He's by Arch and he's Breeders' Cup eligible.
"That was always at the back of our minds and is why we stepped him up so far, so quick. You need to find out now.
"That's not set in stone, but he is a very exciting horse."
Ryan added: "We would never have run him if we didn't think he was a very nice horse.
"We bought him for £100,000 from the breeze-ups in France and we weren't going to leave him behind.
"Jamie is as cool as ice and didn't rush him.
"Whether he's mentally ready for something like the Breeders' Cup, I don't know.
"If he tells us he's ready, we'll think about it. If not, we'll give him time.
"We're not going to ruin him just to run in the Breeders' Cup.
"We have a lot of faith in the horse, but he's raw.
"It was a big step forward from a maiden and he should learn plenty from it.
"We'll get him back to Hambleton Lodge, give him a nice rest and see where we go."
Hugo Palmer said of the runner-up Best Of Days: "The winner has made his run from nowhere near us and came too late.
"I think both the horse and jockey were going to win hands and heels, but the winner has got us at the last minute.
"Horses don't learn a lot when they win by six lengths, but he should learn from this. The winner will probably learn a lot as well.
"I think we'll probably look at the Champagne (Doncaster) and then the Dewhurst (Newmarket)."