Les Eyre dreaming of Ebor Festival glory at York with Bedford Flyer

The three-year-old colt runs in the colours of RP Racing for Rachael and Paul Teasdale, who have long wanted a speedster to contest the Group One race worth £400,000.

Trainer Les Eyre’s charge has already shown his liking for the Knavesmire’s fast five furlongs when running out a convincing winner of the Yorkshire Equine Practice Handicap at the Dante Festival in May.

The improving sprinter has other very smart form to his name, including when he was beaten by just a head last time out at Ascot.

But now Bedford Flyer is being prepared to face some of the fastest horses in Europe.

Eyre, whose Far Ahead sprang a 33-1 surprise in the 1997 Ebor, said: “The Nunthorpe is on the agenda. It might be being a bit ambitious – but he has never let us down yet.

“The Nunthorpe has been the owner’s dream for many years. It was the owner’s idea and we’ve looked at it and tried to work towards it.”

There is no doubt that the August 20 race will be a special day for connections. “You bet your life,” confirmed the handler from Ivy House Stables in Catwick, East Riding.

Eyre has trained a few fast ones over the years, so Bedford Flyer is in sure hands. He said: “I’ve had one or two in the past – I have been at it 35 years. But having said all that, we wouldn’t have had any quicker, put it that way.

“We’ve won the Ebor in the past. So it would be nice if we could do it with the sprinters.”

While Bedford Flyer will be among the outsiders for the high-summer sprint showpiece, Eyre is convinced the son of Clodovil is on course to progress into a Group-class performer.

He said: “There’s no doubt in my mind. But he is a little bit ground dependent. He would not want it soft – he doesn’t handle it.”

As for the horse’s overall condition with just over a fortnight to go until the big race, the ever shrewd Eyre added: “We’re absolutely delighted with him. We can’t get him a lot fitter.”

Eagles by Day has been handed a Melbourne Cup entry by Upper Helmsley trainer David O’Meara.

Owned by Clipper Logisitics boss Steve Parkin, the five-year-old’s finest performance came when winning the John Smith’s Silver Cup at York last summer.

He holds an entry in this month’s Sky Bet Ebor back on the Knavesmire.

Classic heroine Mother Earth displayed her class once again to take the Group One Prix Rothschild at Deauville after Ryan Moore’s mount made a winning move two furlongs from home.

The victory follows Mother Earth’s 1000 Guineas win at the beginning of the season, after which she was second in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, third in the Coronation Stakes and runner-up in the Falmouth Stakes.

Logician, winner of the 2019 St Leger, has been retired to stud. John Gosden’s grey capped a brilliant and unbeaten three-year-old campaign with victory in the Classic at Doncaster under Frankie Dettori.

Juddmonte’s son of Frankel was, however, subsequently restricted to just four more career starts after suffering from a debilitating bout of peritonitis in the winter of 2019/20.