Connaught Access Flooring Abernant Stakes (Group 3)

AFTER suffering an agonising short-head defeat to Double Or Bubble in the six-furlong Abernant Stakes 12 months ago, Garrus (Charlie Hills/Ryan Moore) made amends this time around in the Group 3 event, providing his rider with the middle leg of a 344/1 treble on the card.

Now a seven-year-old, Garrus is clearly as good as ever, and the 9/1 chance burst to the front with a fine turn of foot over a furlong out and held off a late challenge by Commanche Falls (Michael Dods/Connor Beasley) to win by a head, with odds-on favourite Creative Force a disappointing third, albeit beaten less than a length.

Charlie Hills says he will look at the Duke of York next month for his stable stalwart, but also mentioned options in France (he is a dual Group 3 winner at Deauville and was beaten less than a length in the Prix Maurice de Gheest last summer). He also spoke of a possibility of trying him over seven furlongs again, with plenty of options below Group 1 company at that trip.