Vicious Circle, one of Graham Bradley's first purchases in his prospective future career as a bloodstock agent, repaid a man who stood by the jump jockey in one of his darkest hours with a victory in Europe's richest handicap, York's Tote Ebor.
Bradley, against whom charges of conspiracy to cheat were dropped in June, bought the gelding for David Metcalf and Jeff Samuel, with a view to winning yesterday's race, 10 days ago.
It was Metcalf who stumped up the £15,000 for Bradley's bail after the veteran had been arrested. Once in the clear Bradley returned the sum with £4.16 interest. Now he can consider his loan repaid in full.
During his life, Vicious Circle has had to show similar resilience to Bradley, with a cracked leg at three and difficulties since limiting his career to seven starts.
At the conclusion of his eighth, the Luca Cumani-trained five-year-old surged to the front against the far rail under Kevin Darley with over a furlong to race to beat Travelmate by two lengths.
Henry Cecil was left with an enviable big-race dilemma after Ramruma provided his trainer with more handsome pickings from the meeting. The filly showed that her labours have not left their mark as she secured the Aston Upthorpe Yorkshire Oaks, her third Group One triumph of the season.
The success came 24 hours after Cecil had captured the Juddmonte International Stakes with Royal Anthem. The victories have carried Cecil ahead of Saeed Bin Suroor in the race for the trainers' title.
Whether Ramruma will try to supplement her gains in the St Leger or the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is still open to doubt.
"It's something we need to think about carefully - at the moment nothing has been decided," said Cecil. But the trainer gave a strong hint that he preferred Doncaster when he said: "She's been on the go since March. I can probably hold on to her until September but I'm not so sure about October."
Ramruma, the winner of the English and Irish Oaks, was backed as if defeat was out of the question. She attracted more than £150,000 in major bets alone, including one wager of £30,000 to win £25,000.
At the head of affairs early, Ramruma (5 to 6) had established a healthy advantage coming into the home straight. She wandered about in the final two furlongs but Pat Eddery - registering his first Group One victory of the year - was not concerned and kept her up to her work to defeat Ela Athena by one and a quarter lengths.
To complete an excellent race for Cecil, Silver Rhapsody finished well to fill third spot.
Aidan O'Brien, who today saddles flying sprinter Stravinsky, appears to have another ace in his bulging juvenile pack in the shape of Mull of Kintyre. The colt was another bookie-basher, attracting almost £100,000 in major bets, including one of £20,000 to win £25,000, for the Scottish Equitable Gimcrack Stakes.
The confidence was justified in great style as Mull of Kintyre left the opposition trailing with Ma Yoram the closest at a distance of three lengths.
He is now on offer at prices ranging from 16 to 1 to 25s for the 2,000 Guineas and would be shorter but for stablemate Bernstein who heads the market at prices between 7 to 1 and 10s.
