Balmoral Handicap (sponsored By Qipco)
(British Champions Series)
Handicap, Ascot 16:30
£250,000 added,
3yo plus, 1m, Class 2   
Saturday 20th October 2018

FormRatings

1 Sharja Bridge 8/1
2 Escobar 33/1
3 Mjjack 20/1
4 Another Batt 66/1
20 ran Distances: ¾l, ½l, nk
Time: 1m 43.50s (slow by 4.90s)

Sharja Bridge come from the clouds and beats Escobar!

Sharja Bridge
© Racehorse Photos
Sharja Bridge
 
Roger Varian landed the concluding event on QIPCO British Champions Day following the last-gap success of 8/1 shot Sharja Bridge over the straight mile.
 
The four-year-old son of Oasis Dream ran on strongly in the closing stages to collar 33/1 shot Escobar, trained by David O'Meara, to score by three-quarters of a length under a power-packed ride from James Doyle.
 
Newmarket handler Varian said: "I spent seven furlongs of that race swearing! I did not think we were going to get a run.
 
"Sharja Bridge is a talented horse and I have always thought a lot of him. He has run some good races in defeat this year.
 
"It was a shame that Andrea couldn't ride and I'm sure he'll be sat at home upset that he couldn't ride. However, he's had a great season.
 
"Well done to James Doyle who gave the horse a great ride."
 
Escobar, trained in Yorkshire by David O'Meara, came home a three-quarter of a length second .
 
Adam Kirby, who rode the 33/1 chance, said: "It was a very tricky race. I thought I had got there late enough, but it was still too soon.
 
"Possibly we have bumped into one on the day - it opens up and you have got to go when you have got to go.
 
"I have ridden him a few times and I keep saying that he has a lot of class. He just needs things to go right. I thought it was going right for me today - I am just gutted!"
 
O'Meara added: "He is a hugely talented horse but he needs things to just drop right for him. He just got to front too early through nobody's fault."

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Balmoral Handicap (sponsored By Qipco)
£250,000 added, 3yo plus, 1m, Class 2
20 ran
Going: Soft

Pos Dr D Horse SP Jockey Weight Trainer Age
1st (8) Sharja Bridge 8/1 James Doyle
9-5
R Varian 4
2nd (15) ¾ Escobar (IRE) 33/1 A Kirby
9-2
D O'Meara 4
3rd (7) ½ Mjjack (IRE) 20/1 C Lee (3)
9-9
K R Burke 4
4th (17) nk Another Batt (IRE) 66/1 Cameron Noble (5)
9-1
George Scott 3
5th (18) ½ Kynren (IRE) 6/1 W Buick
8-13
T D Barron 4
6th (20) 1 Raising Sand (ex6) 6/1 Nicola Currie (3)
9-2
J A Osborne 6
7th (23) hd Argentello (IRE) (ex6) 9/2f L Dettori
9-1
J H M Gosden 3
8th (2) Mitchum Swagger 11/1 Harry Bentley
9-4
R M Beckett 6
9th (10) ½ Waarif (IRE) 25/1 C J McGovern (3)
9-0
D O'Meara 5
10th (11) ½ South Seas (IRE) 12/1 Oisin Murphy
9-2
A M Balding 4
11th (22) Flaming Spear (IRE) 14/1 R Winston
9-10
D K Ivory 6
12th (3) s.h Hathal (USA) 16/1 J P Spencer
9-9
J A Osborne 6
13th (16) ¾ Tricorn (IRE) 25/1 R Havlin
9-1
J H M Gosden 4
14th (5) 2 Via Via (IRE) 10/1 R L Moore
9-1
J Tate 6
15th (4) ¾ Safe Voyage (IRE) 9/1 S P Davis (5)
9-3
J J Quinn 5
16th (12) 1 Zwayyan 14/1 Jason Watson
8-12
A M Balding 5
17th (13) Humbert (IRE) 25/1 Josephine Gordon
8-13
H Palmer 4
18th (19) 6 Raydiance 50/1 Jonathan Fisher (7)
8-13
K R Burke 3
19th (21) 4 Circus Couture (IRE) 33/1 J F Egan
9-7
Jane Chapple-Hyam 6
20th (9) 5 Aquarium (ex6) 33/1 F Norton
9-3
M Johnston 3

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