Drama of the best kind for Balding and Bryan at York

John Smith’s Cup glory for young apprentice.

Johnny Drama pulled off a hard-fought victory in the John Smith’s Cup for in-form trainer Andrew Balding and young jockey Joshua Bryan at York.

Apprentice Bryan, riding by far the biggest winner of his career, had 22-1 shot Johnny Drama up with the pace from the outset and stayed on best in the final strides to get the better of long-time leader Cockalorum.

Balding, who won this major handicap with Pivoine two years ago, is enjoying an outstanding season and was following up big-race success with Sandrine in Newmarket’s Duchess of Cambridge Stakes 24 hours earlier.

Johnny Drama was a prolific winner on all-weather surfaces last winter, having also twice been successful on turf in Ireland two years ago.

He began his career by finishing seventh to Cockalorum in a Leopardstown maiden three years ago – and it was that same rival, sent off at 40-1 this time, who got closest to him again.

But Balding’s six-year-old, running for the first time since finishing last of five in the Winter Derby at Lingfield in February, who proved strongest by just a head – with Strait Of Hormuz and Dawaam a nose and two lengths further back in third and fourth respectively.

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