'We can raise the bar a bit with him' - Sylvester Kirk looking to France with 6,000gns buy Brian

Sylvester Kirk is looking forward to scouring the programme book in France as he searches for the next opportunity for Saturday's £100,000 Tattersalls Somerville Auction Stakes winner Brian. 

The son of Shaman cost just 6,000gns as a yearling but has won two of his six starts this season, finished third in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot and is yet to finish outside the first four.

Saturday's first prize at Newmarket of £54,110 took his earnings for the season to just shy of £90,000 and connections are keen on a trip to France for his next start. 

"He's a great fun horse who has earned a few quid and it will be interesting to see how the handicapper reads Saturday's race," said Kirk. "The owners are keen to go out to France for a weekend, so we'll have a look and see if we can find something over there for him. There are options over here as well and we can raise the bar a bit with him. He's tough, hardy and has ability."

Brian has won both starts when racing on ground with soft in the official going description and Kirk believes he has scope to improve during the autumn.   

"Up until Saturday Newmarket was the plan and we'll give him a few weeks before deciding what comes next," said the trainer. "He loved the ground on the softer side and hopefully he'll get that over the next few months and go and improve again." 

Brian is the only winner for Kirk's 16-strong stable this year but the Lambourn trainer remains positive and still has a number of unraced two-year-olds he is looking forward to running before the end of the season.

"It's tough going but it's been hard to make it pay from the start," said Kirk, whose first winners were in 2001. "It's a tough game, so it's nice to get a horse like this for small money who can go and perform above and beyond what you paid for them.

"We've always been lucky with horses like that and I still love the game. Racing is all I know and I love the horses and enjoy the people. It's a great sport and we need to encourage and support it."

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