Kevin Ryan sets sights on July Cup bid for Brando

Brando is set to head straight to the July Cup at Newmarket following his fourth place at the Curragh last Saturday.

Kevin Ryan’s sprinter made a fine start to the campaign by successfully defending his crown in the Abernant Stakes at Newmarket and backed up that effort by chasing home Harry Angel in the Duke of York.

He was well-fancied to regain the winning thread in Saturday’s Greenlands Stakes, but failed to make up the ground following a tardy start.

Ryan said: “He was probably a little bit far back and he had to go round them, but he still ran a great race.

“We took a chance and he’s come out of it well and he will go to the July Cup now.

“He won’t go to Royal Ascot. That will give him a nice break between races and he ran such a good race in the July Cup last year.

“You can’t go to all the big parties and it makes sense going to Newmarket as it’s a track he likes. He’s got good form on both Newmarket tracks.”