THOSE who follow Ryan Moore on a regular basis came close to breaking the bank at Doncaster on Saturday. The former champion, with the first three winners of the new flat season safely under his belt, was beaten a neck on Oh This Is Us in the Betway Lincoln.

Richard Hannon’s horse was backed down to 7/2 favourite, having been available at 14/1 the day before the race.

Victory went to 20/1 chance Bravery, a former Aidan O’Brien inmate now trained by David O’Meara. Danny Tudhope did extremely well, having decided that a high number was no use on the straight course.

Tacking over to the far side behind a wall of horses, he gave Bravery plenty of time to respond and produced him with a strong late run to get up close home and save the layers a massive pay-out.

HIGHER MARK

It was only another neck back to Donncha, who also moved across from stall 21, with 2015 winner Gabrial an excellent fourth off an 8lb higher mark. Richard Fahey had both fourth and fifth, with Dolphin Vista keeping on well in the closing stages.

O’Meara has the happy knack of coaxing horses back to their best and this was a fine piece of training because Bravery was something of an underachiever at Ballydoyle last year, hence the selling price - a comparatively modest 44,000gns.

“He ran a lot over a mile and a half but had form at a mile early in the year and we thought we’d start him off at the trip,” the trainer said. “Hopefully, he’ll go back up into pattern races at some stage.”

Sometimes the Lincoln form is quickly overtaken but this looks solid. Oh This Is Us, very fit following two very fair efforts at Meydan, all but managed to give the winner 5lb and will probably take in the Newbury Spring Cup, where Robert Eddery’s Donncha, so often the bridesmaid, will no doubt line up once again.

SPRING MILE

As well as nearly completing a tremendous four-timer, Moore would also have been following up his success in the ‘consolation’ race, the Betway Spring Mile.

From the way he won, by three-quarters of a length from Sinfonietta, Sir Michael Stoute’s Ballet Concerto would have gone very close in the Lincoln itself but narrowly missed the cut.

Sent off at 8/1, he was well on top close home in a race dominated by those drawn low and may well be raised in class. The gelding operation seems to have brought about some improvement and here was clear evidence that Stoute can have horses ready this early in the campaign.