Gold Cup hero set for rise in class The Prix de l'Abbaye at Chantilly and the Qipco British Champions Sprint at Ascot are the options under consideration for Saturday's Ayr Gold Cup hero Brando. The gelded son of Pivotal provided trainer Kevin Ryan with his fourth win in the Scottish showpiece with an impressive victory over hot favourite Growl. Ryan now feels his charge deserves a tilt at Group One glory before the season is out. The Hambleton Lodge handler said: "He's great, he came out of the race very fresh and well. "We'll see how he is in the next four or five days and make a plan from there. He's in the Abbaye and he's in on Champions Day at Ascot. "We wouldn't be worried about going back to five (furlongs) in the Abbaye and he obviously stayed the six (furlongs) well on Saturday. "He's just a very adaptable horse and we could go either way with him."
