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Middle Park joy for Ryan and Callan

Kevin Ryan had a 1,2 in the Group 1 Middle Park StakesKevin Ryan had a 1,2 in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes
© Healy Racing Photos

Astaire (8/1) led home a one-two for trainer Kevin Ryan in the Group One Vision.ae Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket.

The son of Intense Focus, who win the Gimcrack at York, was teak-tough as he set out to make all the running under Neil Callan and tenaciously fought off stablemate Hot Streak (5/1) in the climb to the line.

Half-a-length separated the pair at the finish with Justice Day (22/1) a further length-and-a-half adrift in third.

The winning trainer and jockey were completing the Gimcrack/Middle Park double for a second time after teaming up with Amadeus Wolf in 2005.

"He seems very tough and genuine. I've not sat on him since the Gimcrack and I said to his lad he'd grown and was a stronger horse. All credit to Kevin," Callan told Channel 4 Racing.

"He jumped and travelled good and all he was doing was looking at the camera and that's why he drifted. Each run, he's become more relaxed."

Ryan said: "In fairness, it's a shame one had to get beat. I thought going into the Dip that Hot Streak might pick him up, but Hot Streak got a bit warm today and maybe he's had enough for this year.

"He's a lot more relaxed even though he was making the running and from that draw (13) Neil was always going to make it. At home he sits-in in all his work and is a relaxed horse.

"Five furlongs is probably Hot Streak's trip so we will be looking at sprinting with him next year and I'm sure Astaire will get seven furlongs or a mile. They are two exciting horses for next year."