Nakeeta and Rodriguez deny favourite to spark joy for Jardine

Dumfriesshire trainer Iain Jardine made the breakthrough his burgeoning yard has long promised when Nakeeta – who had long long threatened to hit the big time – landed the Betfred Ebor under Callum Rodriguez.

A familiar sight in staying handicaps, Nakeeta was short-headed in last year's Chester Cup and has since finished second in just about everything. He finally had his day after a thrilling battle with favourite Flymetothestars, whose participation was only confirmed a little more than an hour before the race.

Asked if he thought the horse's big win would ever come, Jardine's first reaction was simply: "You have to keep the faith."

He added: "He's been a bit unlucky once or twice, but he's been progressing all the time. We didn't quite get into the race last year, but he's got in this time and taken his chance. I always thought it would be a race to suit him as he's a strong traveller, and Callum has given him a superb ride."

For all the jubilant celebrations of owners Alex and Janet Card, decked out in silver and purple to match their silks, and the acknowledgement that this was an undoubted career highlight for both former jumps jockey Jardine and 5lb claimer Rodriguez, the overriding feeling that radiated from trainer and rider was one of a job well done.

"Callum's been riding him out, getting a feel for the horse at home," said 41-year-old Jardine. "We just felt my own apprentice [Jamie Gormley] was a bit too inexperienced at this stage – but he won the Lanark Silver Bell last night, so he's quite happy."

The win was a 41st in the career of Rodriguez, who recorded a first double at Thirsk on Monday – including victory for Jardine on that subsequent Lanark Silver Bell winner Sepal – and he repeated the feat here when dead-heating for win number 42 on Holmeswood in the apprentice handicap for his guv'nor Michael Dods.

Callum Rodriguez and Nakeeta prevail in the EborCredit: Mark Cranham

The 20-year-old from Lancaster had picked his way through narrow gaps on Nakeeta and survived being eyeballed by the favourite, but he talked in the winner's enclosure like a man who had watched it all on video rather than lived every nerve-racking moment, which included nearly losing his reins close home.

He said: "I didn't really feel under pressure during the race at all. We had made a plan and it all worked out nicely. The horses I followed were always going fast enough to take me there. When the other horse got to my girth I had a look, I knew who it was, but my lad just kept taking me forward."

However, Rodriguez, who had to choose between horses and boxing in his teenage years, did admit to feeling the nerves in the lead-up to the big event.

Echoing Jardine, he said: "This had been the plan for two months. I knew it was coming and it did give me a few sleepless nights. At the same time, it's been something to look forward to, and I remember watching Adam McNamara winning this race last year and thinking I wanted to be there – I wanted to do the same."

McNamara was also an apprentice when he won the Ebor on Heartbreak City 12 months ago. The logic of using good young claimers in a race like this is becoming more apparent.

A rating of 101 was required to get into this year's contest. To illustrate how competitive that makes the race, even before it is run, a three-year-old will need a rating of 80 to run in the Derby next year but would probably need to finish in the top six to be rated high enough for the Ebor.

With that considered, the pull of taking a few pounds from your horse's back in what increasingly resembles a level-weights environment is obvious and riders like McNamara and Rodriguez have shown themselves equal to the task.

"Callum's ridden a few winners for me, he's a really professional young lad and I never had any doubts about using him," said Jardine.

For an emerging young trainer to place his grand plan in the hands of an emerging young rider takes a good deal of faith, but so did believing Nakeeta's big day would finally come.

Results and analysis