Callan targets season best
Neil Callan will “be going all out until the end of the year” to beat his best seasonal total of 151 after reaching a century at Ripon yesterday.
The in-form rider scored on Reebal in the Eat Sleep Drink At The Nags Head Pickhill Conditions Stakes to reach the 100-mark for the third season in a row.
“My best was last year, which was 151. Obviously I am going to try and better it and I’ll be going all out until the end of the year,” he said.
“Maybe if things fall right some year down the line I might give trying to be champion jockey a go.
“When you go into a season it’s not something you are going to chase but if things start falling right and you get on a run, it’s something I’ll be taking with both hands.”
And of Reebal, he added: “I’ve started riding for Brian Meehan this year and he’s got some good horses.
“This fellow has probably not been lasting out six furlongs. He put the blinds on him and told me to be positive on him, which we were, and he really stretched out well over the five.”
Callan moved on to 101 when he completed a 62-1 brace on Morinqua, who fittingly enough was trained by his boss Kevin Ryan, in the Happy Birthday Val Barker Fillies’ Maiden Auction Stakes.
Tom Eaves was another rider in double form thanks to wins on Macorville and Algol.
The former appreciated the easy surface to register a resounding victory in the City Of Ripon Stakes.
The progressive gelding had won on heavy here in May but he had been off the course for almost three months while the firm ground prevailed.
However, with conditions to his liking George Moore’s charge won by one and three-quarter lengths from Moon On A Spoon.
“We’ve always thought he was a nice horse and he’s never disappointed us,” said Moore. “The only times he’s not run 100 per cent have been when the ground has been fast.
“We took him home for six weeks and gave him a real good holiday because we couldn’t run him. As long as the ground is soft, he’s good. He’s only a three-year-old and could pick up a nice prize next year.”
Eaves made it a 35-1 brace when Algol showed he is equally effective on soft ground by romping home in the Steve Nesbitt Challenge Trophy Nursery.
Howard Johnson’s youngster had won on the firm at Catterick last time but he was not inconvenienced by the change in going as he showed by scooting four lengths clear of Lafontaine Bleu.
Graham Wylie, for owners Transcend Bloodstock, said: “Tom said he’s got a great attitude and he said there’s more in the tank. The only concern before the race was whether he’d handle this ground but Tom said he loved it.”
Inside Story came from an unpromising position to land the Claro Selling Stakes under Robert Winston.
Mick Easterby’s gelding was winning for the fourth time and attracted some interest at the subsequent auction before being bought in for 5,200 guineas.
There was an exciting end to Ripon’s year when Paul Hanagan got Fair Spin home by a short head from Wrenlane in the Wakeman Stayers’ Handicap.
