Jersey Stakes report: Le Brivido strikes for Andre Fabre

1430 Royal Ascot - Jersey Stakes

1st Le Brivido 2/1F
2nd Spirit of Valor 66/1
3rd Mubtasim 25/1

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Report

Punters struck the first blow in the opening race of the second day at Royal Ascot 2017 when the strongly-supported 2/1 favourite Le Brivido took the Jersey Stakes for Andre Fabre.

Runner-up in the French 2000 Guineas on his previous start, he travelled with the main body of the field in the early stages away from six rivals who preferred to remain closer to the stands' rail.

Having put those racing with him to the sword by the furlong-pole, he still had Aidan O'Brien-trained 66/1 outsider Spirit Of Valor to contend with, that runner having burst past strong-travelling Godolphin pair Dream Castle and Parfait to go clear on the stands' side.

But setting his sights on the new target, the favourite responded gamely to the urgings of Pierre-Charles Boudot in the final 100 yards and stayed on strongly to score by a neck and give his jockey a first success at the meeting.

Mubtasim (25/1) made rapid late gains to snatch third in a photo from Parfait.

Reaction

Andre Fabre: "He is a very good horse. On paper this looked the perfect race, coming back to seven furlongs at a stiff track and that's how it worked out.

"We weren't sure if he quite stayed a mile but it doesn't look like it will be a problem going back to that trip now and I imagine the Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville will be a possible target.

 "He looked beaten with a furlong to go, but he showed his class to come back and beat the other horse. I thought he was running a bit freely and he'd have preferred to come from further behind, but his action was really good.

"Royal Ascot is special to anybody."

Pierre-Charles Boudot: "He was very courageous for me in the finish. The horse was a little bit excited behind the gate, but during the race he was very easy. When I asked him, he gave me a nice turn of foot.

"I'm very happy to win here because it is a big meeting, the best in the world."

Aidan O'Brien: "We always thought Spirit Of Valor was a nice horse, but that he would be better on much faster ground and that has helped today. On fast ground, he might even get a mile."

Bruce Raymond, representing connections of Mubtasim (third) and Daban (sixth): "Pat Cosgrave was very pleased with Mubtasim and he thinks the trip suited him better than six furlongs, but he does want the ground very fast - any movement in the ground and the horse just isn't happy.

"Daban was following the winner for a long way and that effort probably meant she didn't quite finisj. She might have been better coming from a little way off the pace. I'm not sure if that is an excuse but she is a filly taking on some very good colts."