Astaire dances right into contention

Mass Rally ridden by PJ McDonald (right) wins the Coral Sprint Trophy

KEVIN Ryan hopes Astaire could be the horse to provide him with an elusive Classic victory in next season’s 2000 Guineas after holding off the late challenge of stablemate Hot Streak to land the Group One Vision.ae Middle Park Stakes.

Both horses, says Ryan, will not race again this season after this phenomenal one-two at Newmarket for the in-form Hambleton yard in one of Flat racing’s most prestigious races for two-year-old juveniles – the potential Classic winners of the feature.

This dazzling success overshadowed York’s final raceday of 2013 which saw Mass Rally land the feature Coral Sprint Trophy and provide a notable win for local jockey PJ McDonald, who only stepped in for the ride because Boroughbridge jockey Paul Mulrennan is out injured.

Although York’s total crowd of 333,477 for 2013 was 7,000 down on last year, this can be attributed to the Frankel factor – the world’s greatest racehorse was the star turn in 2012 on the Knavesmire.

However, this summer’s Knavesmire spectators did get an early glimpse of Astaire’s potential when the horse, owned by Barnsley’s Angie and Peter Bailey, won the Gimcrack Stakes at August’s Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival.

Ironically, the last horse to complete the Gimcrack and Middle Park double in the same season was the Ryan-trained Amadeus Wolf in 2005. He could only finish seventh to Aidan O’Brien’s brilliant, but subsequently-ill-fated George Washington in the Guineas.

Like Amadeus Wolf, Astaire was ridden dynamically by Ryan’s close friend, Neil Callan, who is in a rich vein of form after going freelance at the start of the year.

Callan, always prominent, made his decisive move with two furlongs left to steal a couple of lengths.

The 2-1 favourite Great White Eagle, from the aforementioned O’Brien yard, never made any impression and finished eighth as Hot Streak – victorious seven days previously at Ascot – rallied late under Jamie Spencer .

“He seems very tough and genuine. I’ve not sat on him since the Gimcrack and I said to his lad he’d grown and was a stronger horse. All credit to Kevin,” said Callan.

“He jumped and travelled good and all he was doing was looking at the camera and that’s why he drifted. Each run, he’s become more relaxed.”

The Middle Park has not provided a 2000 Guineas winner since Rodrigo de Triano in 1992 and betting reaction was certainly muted with Astaire cut to 33-1 from 50s.