Holloway Boy makes long-awaited return to winner’s enclosure

Holloway Boy secured his first victory since making a successful debut at Royal Ascot over two years ago in the Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Superior Mile at Haydock.

Karl Burke’s four-year-old made an explosive start to his career when running out a shock 40-1 winner of the 2022 Chesham Stakes, but while he has been placed in good company on numerous occasions since, he had failed to add to his tally.

Returning to Group Three company after being on the podium in lucrative handicaps Sandown, Goodwood and York this summer, Holloway Boy was a 7-2 shot to snap a 12-race losing streak and travelled strongly for much of the race in the hands of William Buick.

Prague, the 100-30 favourite, came from the rear of the field to throw down his challenge and encountered traffic problems along the way.

Dylan Cunha’s runner got rolling late, but having navigated his way to the front a furlong out, Holloway Boy had just enough up his sleeve to repel the market leader by half a length, with Witch Hunter only a head further behind in third.

“He’s a very talented horse, always has been, but he does just save a bit for himself. You could see in the last half-furlong there he was pulling up a bit,” said Burke.

“He’s been running really well in big handicaps. He’s been travelling well and then petering out inside the last half-furlong and not quite getting there, so I said to William today ‘if you’re travelling well three down, go and let him get his head in front’ – and I’m so glad he didn’t listen!

“William came in and said he’s a horse who wants something to aim at. He doesn’t down tools, but he’s a lazy horse and he’s like that at home.

“We went the route of big-money handicaps and it didn’t quite happen, so we were looking for this type of race and it’s worked out.

“I’m not sure where we’ll go next, to be honest. He’ll go on any ground, so he’ll run right the way through and I might look at travelling abroad to Dubai or Saudi – he’s that type of horse you could go anywhere with.”