Mr consistent eyes Group 1 glory with stellar team
| Published date | 18 August 2021 |
| Publication title | Weekender |
"The team has grown year on year in terms of horses and staff,
but the fact we haven't bagged a Group 1 this season is something I'm obviously not happy about. They've been running well all year, but unfortunately we didn't enjoy the best of fortune at Royal Ascot, where we could have been among the winners if things had gone our way. Since then I've had no complaints with how they've been running."
Looking to the exciting period ahead, he says: "We have a strong hand in the fillies' department with Eshaada and Zeyaadah, and next month we could be talking about the Irish St
Leger for Fujaira Prince. Add to that a very promising bunch of two-year-olds and we have much to look forward to."
Varian has been among the winners in every one of the last 30 months, but most importantly the team are currently hitting the spot with one in three runners (33 per cent), which is quite remarkable.
An interesting statistic for followers of the Varian runners is that they boast a success rate of over 20 per cent at no fewer than 25 racecourses in Britain.
Older horses Believe In Love 4 b f Make Believe - Topka
She improved with every race last year, winning four times on turf, notably in the Group 3 Prix Belle de Nuit at Saint-Cloud. She showed she was as good as ever at Leopardstown last month to take the Group 3 Stanerra Stakes when conceding weight all round. She disappointed last time out at Goodwood but has been absolutely fine since. I think we'll look to the fillies' staying races like the Park Hill and hopefully the Group 1 Prix de Royallieu at Longchamp, along with the Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot on Champions Day.
Cape Byron 7 ch g Shamardal - Reem Three He's a real stable stalwart and a very talented one, but unfortunately he hasn't been the easiest horse to keep sound - hence he only ran once last year and it has been the same this season, when winning a conditions stakes at Haydock in May. I hope we can get him out again later this season but there's nothing in the short term.
Classical Wave 4 b g Gleneagles - Very Good News He's an interesting horse who is relatively new to the stable having joined us in June. Following a mediocre first effort, he stepped up on that impressively to win at the July course this month. He gives me the impression there's more to come and it's likely we'll target the
Cambridgeshire with him as I think that race could really suit.
Fujaira Prince 7 rg g Pivotal - Zam Zoom A smart horse who had his first run back last month when third in the Group 3 John Smith's Silver Cup at York. He has come out of the race very well and we're looking at the Lonsdale Cup or the Ebor...
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