Bergerac on the case for York supporters

22-1 shot lands Ebor meeting opener for Kevin Ryan.

Bergerac (22-1) battled back gamely to crack the fiendishly difficult Sky Bet And Symphony Group Handicap at York.

Kevin Ryan’s sprinter had bounced back to form in first-time blinkers last time out at Newmarket but was 5lb higher in the weights in a much deeper race.

Tom Eaves sent him to the far rail from stall two but he looked booked for place honours when King Of Stars headed him entering the final furlong.

However, to the four-year-old’s credit, he stuck to his task and was brave in the finish, sticking his neck out to win by a short head with the same back to Atalis Bay in third.

The same connections won the corresponding race in 2013 with Bogart.

Betfair cut him to 16-1 from 33s for the Ayr Gold Cup.

Ryan said: “Just to get a winner at this meeting is nice, so it’s great to get off to a start like that.

“The horse is ultra-consistent and the blinkers have helped. It helped him and made him concentrate as he was maybe saving a bit for himself. He left everything out there today.

“I jokingly said to Tom that I had walked it last night and the far side was the place to be. There was no point in complicating it and who knows on the first day of the meeting where the place to be is. He’s a fast horse and it worked out well.”

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