Tipperary Sunset still unbeaten and heading for Royal Ascot

Quinn ace ‘well worth his chance’ at big meeting.

Royal Ascot-bound Tipperary Sunset remained unbeaten after a taking victory in the bet365 Continental Two Year Old Trophy at Beverley.

The John Quinn-trained juvenile was a winner on his racecourse debut at Hamilton earlier in May and maintained his flawless record when posting a three-quarter-length success under James Sullivan in the five-furlong contest.

Springing from the starting stalls to gain an advantage from the off, the Ardad colt made all of the running and was never passed as he galloped to a game victory over Robjon at 4-1.

“We’ve always liked him,” Quinn said.

“From breaking him in, he’s a lovely mover, (he has a) nice mind.

Tipperary Sunset enjoys a deserved drink of water (PA)
Tipperary Sunset (PA)

“His early work was good and we thought ‘well we like this one’

“We’ll go to Royal Ascot, it’ll be between the Norfolk and the Windsor Castle.

“He’s progressed, this fella has had two runs and today he’s gone away at the line.

“He’s well worth his chance (over a) stiff five, Jimmy (Sullivan) said he wasn’t stopping, the ground was fine and he’ll handle better ground as well.”

Sullivan credited the winner’s swift start as one of his key attributes, saying: “He jumped very quick and I was always holding onto him, so he had the best chance.

“When something came to me at the finish, he kept galloping to the line.

“For two-year-olds, they need to be able to jump out, especially on a sharp track when they have a good draw, so when he jumped and made a length out of gates it was one box ticked.”

The jockey then secured a quickfire double when taking the bet365 Handicap aboard 7-1 chance Byron’s Choice for trainer Michael Dods.

Byron's Choice brought up a double for James Sullivan
Byron’s Choice

The six-year-old began to chase the race leader, Mark Johnston’s 2-1 favourite Sibaaq, in the final furlong and was eventually able to cross the line a neck ahead of his rival.

Sullivan said: “He went through the race very well for me, he’s a grand big horse and I think he handles the conditions very well.

“Obviously he had a bit of weight to carry and I think having a bit of size helped him, they went a solid gallop and brought a bit of stamina into it and he stayed nicely.

“He’s a big horse and he covers a lot of ground, I was always confident in the last furlong that he’d get to the front.”

Trevolli struck as the 4-6 favourite to take the bet365 Median Auction Maiden Stakes for Phil Kirby and Ben Curtis.

Trevolli got favourite-backers off to a good start (PA)

The three-year-old was beaten by half a length at Redcar earlier in the month on what was his first run for the trainer after leaving the care of Adam West, a performance he built on at Beverley to score by a head from Taylored.

A photo was required to split the first two past the post, but Kirby’s gelding just prevailed after being ridden prominently from the off.

The Each Way Extra At bet365 Handicap then secured Curtis a double as he steered John Mackie’s Colony Queen (7-1) to victory – and he made it a treble on the day when taking the concluding Bet Builder At bet365 Handicap aboard Bawaady (15-8 favourite) for Sir Michael Stoute.

Poet’s Lady provided Kevin Stott with a double when the filly triumphed in the Price Promise At bet365 Handicap for David Barron.

The jockey had already enjoyed success in the Hilary Needler Stakes aboard Lady Ayresome and returned to the winner’s enclosure with Barron’s filly after the duo justified their status as 2-1 favourites.

Registering a length-and-a-quarter victory, the four-year-old was ridden behind the race leaders until the final half-furlong before passing Fox Power to cross the line first of the field of nine.

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