Successful in the G3 Connaught Access Flooring Abernant S. 12 months ago, Brando (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) returns to Newmarket on Thursday as a genuine top-level sprinter following his summer exploits. Third in the G1 July Cup before taking Deauville's G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest, Angie Bailey's chestnut has undergone a wind operation after three off-the-board efforts in the autumn. “He's in good form and everything has gone well with him,” trainer Kevin Ryan said. “The ground should be perfect and he's got good course form, so it looked the obvious place to start with him.”
Brando faces a fascinating rival in Prince Faisal bin Khaled and Susan Magnier's Le Brivido (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), who has not been seen since beating the subsequent G3 Minstrel S. scorer Spirit of Valor (War Front) by a neck in Royal Ascot's G3 Jersey S. Just a short head away from capturing the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains on his prior start, he will be staying on when the real speed merchants are treading water late on. “He's not a sprinter, but six furlongs at Newmarket is a good prep for going further,” trainer Andre Fabre commented. “I think he's going to be at his best over seven furlongs, but he's got speed enough to be competitive over this trip. There simply aren't many options over seven furlongs so this looked a good race to run him in with no penalty, on good ground and a nice course. He is in the Lockinge and we'll decide after this if Newbury will be the plan. I think it is better to run him over shorter than further to begin with.”
Interestingly, William Haggas has opted to pitch Lael Stable's unexposed filly One Master (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in against some hardened sprinters. She took the Listed October S. over seven furlongs at Ascot in October.
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