Ebro River rockets into Royal reckoning

Hugo Palmer's Ebro River entered the Royal Ascot equation with a striking victory in the Coral "Beaten By A Length" National Stakes at Sandown.

Out of Palmer's 2000 Guineas winner Galileo Gold, he arrived having finished sixth to Forca Brasil on debut before running out a ready winner at Doncaster.

Sent off at 4-1, he blew the start and conceded plenty of ground - which over five furlongs usually means race over, but James Doyle soon had him back on an even keel.

The most impressive part of his performance came with a furlong to run when he hit the front and quickly shot clear.

He was so far in front that he was able to survive a marked drift to his left and still beat Little Earl by three and a quarter lengths.

Palmer said: "I was stuck on the motorway rather than on course, but managed to pull over and see the race. I'm obviously delighted.

"He's looked very smart from the first day he came in. He's obviously still a bit babyish and has a few crinkles to iron out - how we do that, I'm not sure."

Betfair and Paddy Power introduced the winner into their Coventry Stakes betting at 14-1.

Considering options, Palmer said: "I'm not sure which race at Ascot yet, he wouldn't be able to give away four lengths in the Norfolk like he did tonight.

"He'll be fine on any ground and it isn't a surprise he's so precocious - Galileo Gold would have won at two in April if he had an owner, but I still had him.

"This horse will get a mile in time, but we'll gradually step him up as the season progresses. He's got some growing up to do."

He added: "He got quite warm there and Ebro River might have been the only person who didn't want to see at crowd at Sandown tonight!"

Lismore reigns for King Henry

Not content with dominating Cheltenham and Aintree, Henry de Bromhead was in winning action at Sandown as he sent out Lismore to take the Coral Henry II Stakes.

Having her third run for the yard, the ex-Sir Mark Prescott-trained filly was smartly away in the Group Three contest under Jamie Spencer before tracking Nayef Road for much of the way.

Spencer elected to come towards the stands side on entering the straight and soon opened up an advantage as he went for home - one the others were unable to peg back, as the 14-1 shot stayed on strongly to finish four and a half lengths clear of Ranch Hand.

Ocean Wind was the 4-5 favourite after finishing a length behind Stradivarius in the Sagaro Stakes, but finished another 11 lengths adrift in third.

De Bromhead said: "She was brilliant and Jamie was brilliant on her, I'm delighted.

"There are not many two-mile races at home at the moment, so we said we'd give it a go and try to finish third and anything better than that would be a bonus.

"She stays really well, she's just a big lady and I'd say she's just improving with time. When you see her size she's just developing, it's amazing she could run at three and if she was in our place she probably wouldn't have - she's just getting stronger.

"We were hoping for Group Three black type and if we got it we'd be delighted, to see her storm up the hill was incredible - I keep telling Anthony (Rogers, joint-owner) she'd be a lovely horse over a hurdle but he's not buying it at the moment!

"You know me, I'm never confident and they looked a long way away watching on the big screen, but Jamie committed her and she stays so well.

"I'm not sure she has to get her toe in, but Jamie said she loved it whereas maybe the others didn't. She's just a real stayer and so genuine."

The winner does not hold an entry in the Gold Cup at the moment, so would need to be added to the Ascot field should connections opt to go to the Royal meeting.

De Bromhead added: "I'm not sure about it (supplementing for Gold Cup), it would be up to the Rogers'. It's quite tough to travel and run over jumps and I presume it would be the same for the Flat ones over the trip, we'll see. She travelled over here well, so I don't know.

"We've always felt she wanted further and dreaming we mentioned the Prix du Cadran, so we could back off and aim towards the autumn, but that was dreaming."

De Bromhead was also thrilled to be racing with a crowd once more.

"It's fantastic, it's just brilliant, it makes such a difference and it's great to see it," he said.

Glen back in business

Euchen Glen bounced right back to his very best to take the Coral Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown.

After returning from nearly two years on the sidelines to win three times in 2020, the Jim Goldie-trained eight-year-old had been below par in two runs so far this season - but put those efforts well behind him to record a career-best Group Two triumph, one achieved with a 3lb penalty.

Ridden at the back of the four-runner field as Sangarius bowled along in front closely attended by Extra Elusive, it looked like Jim Goldie's mount had plenty on his plate with Ryan Moore on the even-money favourite seemingly going great guns aboard the even-money favourite.

But Sangarius could not put his rivals away, and as he started to tread water Euchen Glen (20-1) really picked up for Paul Mulrennan and swept to the front, streaking clear to win by four and a quarter lengths, in a race run this year in memory of Brigadier Gerard's rider Joe Mercer.

Mulrennan said: "Coming back in trip suited him, he's been slightly over-racing so we thought if we came back in trip and rode him quiet like when I won on him at Haydock (it might work).

"Jim's horses have just been coming into form the last couple of weeks and turned a corner, the ground was perfect, it's a stiff track and there was always going to be a stiff pace to aim at.

"I almost got there too soon and had to take a pull, but that's the first time this year he's been relaxed in my hands and he was able to finish off. They stopped in front and he had nothing else to race with.

"It's credit to Jim Goldie, he had that serious injury after winning the John Smith's Cup (in 2018), and that was over a mile and a quarter. To get him back to this sort of level is a credit to Jim."

He added: "I'd say that was his career-best, giving 3lb away. He wasn't doing a great deal in front and he tends to get better as the year goes on.

"It took him a few runs to get his confidence back after his injury, but then he had a really good run at the end of last season winning some good races.

"I know the Melbourne Cup was a bit of a target, but that has probably gone now. The Ebor is probably the race for him, with good prize-money.

"It was worth the trip down at least, I actually led my first ever horse up here about 20-odd years ago when I started at Brian Meehan's."