Royal Ascot-winner Valiant Force stays the course

Royal Ascot winner Valiant Force (8/11f) today stepped out of sprint company for the first time to win Dundalk’s William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Race, scoring for Amo Racing, trainer Adrian Murray and jockey David Egan.

The 2023 Norfolk Stakes-winner and Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint-runner-up hadn’t raced beyond six furlongs prior to today’s mile race and having settled well at the slower tempo, quickened to lead over a furlong out to comfortably beat Big Gossey

Trainer Murray reported "I’m very impressed with that, he put it to bed very early. It was a fact-finding mission for him today, but we thought with pedigree that he is bred to be a miler. It gives us great options, more options over the summer.

"We have no real plans, everything is opening up for us - six, seven or eight furlongs."

Amo representative Ryan McElligott added "I suppose now we can think a bit more broadly in terms of what we are doing. We have lots of options which is good."

Quotes from Michael Graham