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Perotto retained his unbeaten record at Sandown on Saturday when taking out the Coral Challenge Handicap.

The five-year-old had shaped somewhat better than the bare results suggest on both outings for new trainer Roger Varian this season having backed up an eye-catching seventh in the Victoria Cup at Ascot with a decent tenth-placed finish in the Royal Hunt Cup at the same venue.

Group 3-placed for previous trainer Marcus Tregoning, the gelded son of New Bay certainly looked on a workable mark off 96 and connections were duly rewarded by their persistence in top-class handicaps when he came away for a commanding victory at the Esher track.

There was some early drama as Jane Chapple-Hyam's Intellogent stood still in the stalls. He was deemed a runner by on-course stewards but refused to race as Kieran Shoemark was left stationary at the start.

The early pace looked genuine enough up front and Tom Marquand probably found himself in what could be described as the box seat behind the leaders. The gelded son of New Bay travelled kindly throughout much of the contest and could be spotted going nicely approaching the two-furlong marker. Marquand asked his mount to pick up inside the final two furlongs and Perotto quickened up smartly to take a few lengths out of the field. Roger Varian's runner had to see off a late challenge from Ouzo (13/2) but the well-supported 5/1 joint-favourite always looked to be doing enough out in front and was ultimately one-and-a-quarter lengths too strong at the line.

Dutch Decoy (11/1) finished with a late rattle to grab the third spot with Revich (25/1) a further length behind in fourth.

It was a first success for Perotto since landing the 2021 Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot and trainer Roger Varian was hailed as an 'absolute magician' by winning connections.

Liam Keighley, joint-manager of Halcyon Thoroughbreds, said: "It has been a long old arduous time since the Britannia. We've always said if he gets the right ride and gets the right luck in running then there are not many that can beat him.

"The hood has helped him today. Roger is an absolute magician, and we are over the moon.

"We can't get inside these animal's heads. We have just got to keep persevering when you have got a horse with the mark that he has got.

"He has come down massively in the handicap over the last couple of years, which we are shocked by as he has never run a bad race. Fingers crossed he will just go on from here now.

"He has been working in the hood at home, but we have always been in two minds about it.

"Roger called up after declarations and said that works all the time in a hood and are you happy for him to go in a hood and we said if that's what you want to do go for it.

"It has worked an absolute treat and I think that was the making of him today."

Connections were quick to remember the efforts his previous trainer Marcus Tregoning had invested in the five-year-old as Keighley added: "Marcus is a phenomenal trainer, and he has done so well with Perotto over the years, and he won us the Britannia.

"We felt he needed a bit of a change of scenery, and it has worked. We wouldn't have this horse of it wasn't for Marcus and what he did in the first place. It is a team effort since we got him."

Perotto was cut to a general 7-1 chance for the Coral Golden Mile at Goodwood on August 4th.

Keighley said: "He is entered in the race at Goodwood but if he goes there that will be down to Roger."