Tag Archive for: Dante

The Foxes foils White Birch for Dante glory

/by

The Foxes took a muddling Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes at York that left the Betfred Derby market in something of a flux.

The Andrew Balding-trained, King Power-owned Churchill colt was given a polished ride by Oisin Murphy, who was happy to sit off a well-contest pace early on from his good draw in stall two.

Liberty Lane, Killybegs Warrior and Dancing Magic helped set a decent clip, with Craven Stakes runner-up The Foxes (6-1) travelling sweetly in mid-division.

Murphy decided to switch left with a furlong to run and he quickened nicely to score by a neck from White Birch, who came from last to first under Shane Foley.

Aidan O’Brien’s Continuous was produced with a promising run but did not quite seem to get home and dead-heated for third with Sir Michael Stoute’s once-raced Passenger, who looked unlucky with jockey Richard Kingscote unable to find a gap when it mattered. He ran on well once finding daylight.

The Foxes was cut to a general 8-1 for Epsom glory.

Balding said: “He did a bit of meandering across the track. He’s a very good horse, it looked a deep Dante today.

“He’s very professional, he was the most beautiful yearling and he’s been a star to train so far.

“You’d have to think Epsom is the next step as long as you take the usual caveats into account, it comes close enough for example, but if he comes out of it well I think we’d have to give it a go.

“The way he’s hit the line there he’d give himself every chance of getting the trip, it didn’t look like he was stopping at the end there to me.

“I think the main thing is he’d give himself every chance of staying because of his demeanour.”

Balding would not be winning the premier Classic out of turn should The Foxes prevail, after recent near-misses with Khalifa Sat and Hoo Ya Mal.

He added: “We’ve gone close in the Derby a few times, but I think he’d be the best chance we’ve had going there as both Hoo Ya Mal (runner-up last year) and Khalifa Sat (second in 2020) were big prices.

“His half-brother Bangkok went there after winning this well fancied, but he ran poorly. We always thought he’d stay, but he was a real 10-furlong horse.

“I think he’ll stay as his dam got a mile and a half well.”

Murphy said: “That was fantastic. I ride for a great stable and this fella was really well prepared at home.

“He’s easy to ride, he relaxes and then he’s able to show that turn of foot. He has all the attributes of a top-quality horse.

“We didn’t go crazy, but rolled along – I hope it’s a good trial for the big races to come. I won this five years ago on Roaring Lion, and on Telecaster, and I hope it’s a good pointer to the Derby.

“I hope he’s a good Derby ride, he relaxes, he’s a beautiful mover and hopefully he’ll stay.

“He gives himself a chance of staying, but he is a fast horse. It’s exciting.”

Dubai Mile could take in 2000 Guineas on the way to Epsom

/by

Criterium de Saint-Cloud scorer Dubai Mile has been added to the list of Derby entries, with trainer Charlie Johnston revealing he will tune up for a potential tilt at the Epsom Classic in either the Qipco 2000 Guineas or York’s Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes.

Although beaten on debut as a juvenile, he won his next two starts in fine style before attempting to make all in the Royal Lodge over the Guineas track and trip, going down by half a length to Andrew Balding’s The Foxes.

That earned the son of Roaring Lion a shot at Group One glory in France and he thrived for the move up to 10 furlongs on that occasion, showing plenty of class and even more grit to hold off John and Thady Gosden’s Arrest by a head and highlight his Classic claims for the forthcoming campaign.

With connections opting to pay the £9,000 stake to add Dubai Mile to the race at the second entry stage, that campaign could be centred around a Derby bid as Johnston dreams of the colt becoming a standard-bearer for the yard during his first season as the sole licence holder at Kingsley Park.

“Any two-year-old that can win at Group One level leaves you dreaming over the winter about what they could achieve during their three-year-old campaign,” said Johnston.

“He’s obviously going to be a flagship horse for us this year and one we’re going to have realistic Classic ambitions with, so we’re very much looking forward to him.

Trainer Charlie Johnston has high hopes for Dubai Mile this season
Trainer Charlie Johnston has high hopes for Dubai Mile this season (Mike Egerton/PA)

“You need these horses to compete at the highest level to put you in people’s eyes and minds going forward and he’s a big flagship horse that we need and want a big year from – hopefully he can deliver.”

Despite Dubai Mile’s finest hour coming over 10 furlongs and holding an entry for the Dante on May 18, a return to the Rowley Mile and a crack at Newmarket’s opening Classic of the summer appears the preferred option of the colt’s owner Ahmad Al Shaikh.

“The Guineas is still on the table and Ahmad is quite keen for him to go there,” continued Johnston.

“For all the Dante is a significant race and the preeminent Derby trial, this horse has already won a Group One so his CV would be enhanced more by a placed effort in the Guineas than winning the Dante.

“He was only just touched off in the Royal Lodge over the Guineas course and distance and although I’m pretty certain he’s going to come into his own over middle-distances this year, I wouldn’t rule out his prep race being in the Guineas.

“They are the best two Derby trials and it will be one of the two races for him. Being a vanquished horse in the Guineas can often be the best Derby trial you can run.”