DAVID MENUISIER has snapped up Rossa Ryan to ride his star stayer Caius Chorister in the Henry II Stakes.
The Frenchman’s filly will run in Sandown’s Group 3 on Thursday before having a crack at king of the stayers Kyprios in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot next month.
She is a top-priced 16-1 shot with the bookies for the big’un on June 20.
She will have a new man in the saddle this week as Ryan replaces Jamie Spencer after the five-year-old’s never-nearer second to Coltrane on her reappearance in the Sagaro Stakes.
And Spencer was also out of luck on the yard’s Tamfana in the 1000 Guineas a few days later, flying home from the back of the field to finish a close fourth.
But Sussex-based Menuisier says those near-misses have not impacted on his decision to switch jockeys.
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He said: “Rossa is one of the best jockeys around and it would be stupid to leave him sitting in the weighing room without a ride.
“All being well at Sandown it would be good to keep Rossa on the filly at Ascot.”
It has been a busy week on the jockey change front, with Rab Havlin surprisingly replacing Callum Shepherd on board Derby second favourite Ambiente Friendly.
He continued: “She came out of the Sagaro really well. I don’t mind the rain that’s been around, she handles soft, but she is versatile and will go on anything.
“She is a high-class horse and keeps improving, she is amazing really. It will be interesting to see how the race plays out as all the horses have a run under their belt now.”
If Caius Chorister wins tonight it will cap a memorable few days for the stable, and colourful owner Clive Washbourn, after they bagged the German 2000 Guineas on Monday with Devil’s Point.
Menuisier said: “It was an amazing day. People turn their nose up at races in Germany but he is a Classic winner and a very, very good horse.
“The Germans said to me it was the best Guineas they’ve had in a long time and we had an incredible day and his owner provided them with some entertainment.
“I’ve entered him in the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville in early July, and after that we could head to Goodwood for the Sussex Stakes.”
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