Royal Rhyme eases to Brigadier Gerard success

Royal Rhyme ran out a ready winner of the Chasemore Farm Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown under a confident ride from Clifford Lee.

Karl Burke’s charge justified his position as the 1-2 favourite by coming through late on to see off Certain Lad by a length.

After making it five wins from nine starts, the four-year-old remained unchanged at 20-1 with Coral for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Frederick Larson surged well clear on Miss Cantik in the early stages of this Group Three contest over 10 furlongs and must have been 10 lengths ahead turning for home.

But first Certain Lad picked off the pacesetter approaching the furlong pole and then Royal Rhyme timed his charge well enough to ease past and take top honours.

Lee said: “I always knew I was going to get there. I got the leader quite easily, it was more the second horse.

“My lad was only beaten five lengths in a Champion Stakes and can run like that in his first race of the season.

“Possibly (Royal Ascot), we’ll just see how he comes out of the race. I’m sure Karl and Sheikh Mohammed Obaid will have a plan.

“We’ve got plenty of good horses and with a horse like him, like I say he was only beaten five lengths in a Champion Stakes. He’s entitled to go for a good race, it just depends where.”