Uncle Bryn continues progression at Wolverhampton

PA Sport Reporters
November 24, 2020 6:19 pm

Unbeaten Gosden colt just 20-1 for Derby glory.

Uncle Bryn is a general 20-1 shot for next year’s Derby after maintaining his unbeaten record with a dominant display at Wolverhampton.

The son of Sea The Stars made a big impression on his racecourse introduction at the start of September, and was the 2-9 favourite to follow up in the Ladbrokes Watch Racing Online For Free EBF Novice Stakes at Dunstall Park.

Ridden by Robert Havlin, Uncle Bryn was sent straight to the lead and the further he went the better he looked – kicking clear under just hand driving in the straight for a four-and-a-quarter-length success over Jaramillo.

Cruise control! Sea The Stars colt Uncle Bryn remains unbeaten with a dominant performance under Rab Havlin for John Gosden at @WolvesRaces pic.twitter.com/XV8Y238a7b
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) November 24, 2020

Thady Gosden, assistant to his father, said: “We’re very happy with him. He was obviously carrying a penalty and he’s still a little bit green, with it being only his second start, but he did it impressively.

“There’s a bit of speed in his pedigree, so he’ll probably start off over a mile an a quarter next year and we’ll see whether he wants to step up to a mile and a half or not.”

Havlin was similarly impressing, telling Sky Sports Racing: “He was still a bit green in front and a bit raw – he’s very much a baby.

“Because of the size of him and letting him develop, we’ve had to ease off at certain times of his progression, so he hasn’t had the schooling that everything else has had.

“He’ll have learnt plenty today. He’s a nice type going forward and he’s going to strengthen up in the winter.”

Jack Hobbs (left) chases home Golden Horn in the Derby at Epsom (PA)

Gosden is not afraid to run a high-class prospect at Wolverhampton, with the promising Waldkonig making a winning debut at the track last year and, even more notably, Jack Hobbs doing so in 2014.

The latter went on to chase home esteemed stablemate Golden Horn in the Dante at York and the Derby at Epsom, before winning the Irish Derby and later the Dubai Sheema Classic.

“It’s good to get one or two runs into them at this time of year if you can, for a bit of education,” Thady Gosden added.

Gosden and Havlin were denied a Wolverhampton double, with 4-6 favourite Alexej proving no match for Saeed bin Suroor’s newcomer Silent Escape (100-30) in the Bombardier British Hopped Amber Beer Novice Stakes, with Hector Crouch the winning rider.

Crouch said: “She was a bit sharper than I was expecting her to be. She travelled very nicely and showed a nice, sharp turn of foot.

“She’s still very green and will improve a lot.”