Santa Bravado scores on handicap debut Early jockeys’ championship leader Billy Lee scored on handicap-debutante Santa Bravado (7/1) today, landing Navan’s Royal County Handicap on the Brian Mellon-owned, Andy Oliver-trained colt. Initially held up in rear, the son of Iffraaj eventually quickened well to overtake leader Manton Bay in the closing stages, to score by a half-length. Trainer Oliver said "he ran a nice race first time out and being a big horse, Dundalk then maybe came a bit soon. We should have left him alone that year and he had a nice enough run here first-time out this year. "We hoped this was the natural progression putting him into a race like this. He would have got in at bottom-weight, but luckily the weights went up and then Billy got the ride. "Billy gave him a lovely ride, he just took his time and produced him at the right time. He was getting every yard of the trip, so it looks like we have options and he handled that bit of ease. We'll see what the handicapper does and he could possibly step up in trip.” Quotes from Michael Graham
