Ebor hero Litigant to move up in class Litigant is set to step up to Group-race company following his remarkable success in the Betfred Ebor at York on Saturday. The seven-year-old became the oldest horse since the mighty Sea Pigeon in 1979 to win the most prized staying handicap in Europe when defying an absence of 491 days on his first start for trainer Joe Tuite. The Lambourn handler is now looking at either the Qatar Prix du Cadran at Longchamp on October 4 or the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot on October 17 for his star stayer, who sprang a 33-1 surprise in the hands of Oisin Murphy. "It was brilliant. Plan A came off and it doesn't always come off in this game, but it did," said Tuite. "I couldn't be happier with the horse. He's as sound as he's ever been. I'm very pleased and off we go from here. "He'll go to Ascot or to France for the Prix de Cadran. It will be one or the other. He wants good or easier ground. Soft ground wouldn't bother me at all. "He's a very good horse. He's only been beaten twice in his life but has had very limited mileage. "Hopefully we can squeeze a few more miles out of him."
