A No Nay Never One-Two In York Group 1

Never So Brave (4g No Nay Never - Chica Whopa, by Oasis Dream) led home a one-two for his sire with victory in the Group 1 City of York Stakes on Saturday.

A ninth individual top-level winner for No Nay Never, the four-year-old was adding to his first Pattern win in the Group 2 Summer Mile at Ascot last month.

Under Oisin Murphy, the Andrew Balding-trained gelding settled towards the rear early on but made headway inside the final 100 yards to defeat Lake Forest (by No Nay Never) by half-a-length. Maranoa Charlie (by Wootton Bassett) was a further head away in third.

Anna-Lisa Balding, assistant to her husband, said: “We’re absolutely delighted, it was a wonderful ride, and thank you Sir Michael Stoute who has been very kind to us.

“He’s matured through the year and Andrew has done a pretty good job, I suppose!

“He ran over a mile last time and was dropping back to seven furlongs today. He has got a few quirks and I think as a colt he probably wouldn’t be as good as he is now – I think the gelding operation has been the making of him.”

Never So Brave was bred by the late Christopher Hanbury.