Call The Wind puts Head back among the winners

Horse Racing

PA Sport Reporters
August 23, 2020 4:19 pm

Stayer bags Kergorlay contest.

Freddy Head ended a barren spell when Call The Wind proved his class in the Darley Prix Kergorlay at Deauville.

Head’s last winner came in June, but he has always been able to rely on his stable stalwart.

The well-travelled six-year-old, was a Group One winner in 2018 when he took the Prix du Cadran and finished second in the same race last year, as well as in the Prix Royal-Oak.

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Those same races will be on his agenda again after a comfortable success under regular rider Olivier Peslier, coming home a length and a half clear of Ashrun.

Ed Dunlop’s Red Verdon was a late withdrawal due to an issue in the stalls.

Head told Sky Sports Racing: “He’s always there and does his best, usually first or second, he goes everywhere, Riyadh, Dubai – he’s lovely.

“He almost cut his tendon in his last race, but he’s OK now and I’m very happy with how he won today.

“I think he’ll go to the Cadran now on Arc weekend. He loves the soft, but won on good ground in Riyadh.”

The Darley Prix de Pomone went the way of Alain de Royer-Dupre’s Ebaiyra.

A winner over a mile and a half before finishing sixth in the Prix de Diane, she relished going back up in trip.

With a 9lb weight-for-age allowance, Christophe Soumillon set out to make all and Ebaiyra set a sedate pace before quickening stylishly in the straight.

Brian Meehan’s Spirit Of Appin ran a fine race to finish second.

De Royer-Dupre, who has abandoned plans to quit at the end of the season, said: “I decided to carry on about a month ago for variety of reasons, partly due to Covid because we didn’t get a full season and it is difficult to stop quickly when you have done something for 45 years or more – it will be a new life.

“I have many options, I’m very excited about showjumping and things like that.

“It was difficult for her because she’s a big filly and Deauville is a small track. She stayed very well.

“The next step could be the Prix Vermeille, but we have another filly for that too, Vardani. She ran last week but hated the ground.”