Walter Swinburn moved firmly back into centre stage at Sandown yesterday with a hard-fought double.
He proved he is back at full fitness after a torrid two years with tremendous displays of strength to get Persian Punch and Confidante home in front.
The man with a reputation second to none in the big races timed his display to perfection with the Derby and Royal Ascot just around the corner.
Swinburn (36) has put in a lot of hard work to recover from a serious injury he suffered in a fall in Hong Kong, then win a fight with his weight which forced a nine-month "sabbatical" last year.
So he was delighted to force 5 to 2 favourite Persian Punch to a head win over Samraan in the Group Three Bonusprint Henry II Stakes after a ding-dong battle. "It is moments like this that I feel all the hard work has been rewarded," he said. "Last year I wouldn't have been up to doing 8st 8lb and riding for two miles like that."
The ultra-tough Persian Punch, repeating his 1997 win in the race, will now go to Royal Ascot for the Gold Cup and Swinburn, only riding yesterday as other jockeys were unavailable, would love to be on him again.
"I have put my name forward and he will be a dream ride for someone," he said. "He's a Gold Cup horse, that's for sure, and he will go there with a favourite's chance. "He is not as hard work as he looks as he does respond - every time I asked him a question he did a bit."
Swinburn initiated his double when bringing Confidante (100-30 favourite) from off the pace to score a length-and-a-quarter win over Bold Tina in the Bonusphoto Fillies' Handicap.
Royal Ascot beckons for Bolshoi, who earned a tilt at the King's Stand Stakes with victory in the Group Two Tripleprint Temple Stakes.
Jockey Carl Lowther, riding the 100th winner of his career and his first in a Pattern race, found himself in last place at halfway but kept his cool and pounced inside the final furlong to land the spoils by three quarters of a length from Lochangel.
The 4 to 5 favourite Elnadim, whose trainer John Dunlop, also had Samran placed in the Henry II, was another length and a half away in third.
