Tag Archive for: Free Wind

Free Wind makes class count in Middleton Stakes

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Free Wind defied a 320-day lay-off to land the Group Two Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies’ Stakes at York under a fine ride from Frankie Dettori.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained four-year-old had been absent since winning the Lancashire Oaks at Haydock in July, but was a warm order for her return in the extended 10-furlong event.

Sent off the 6-5 favourite, she settled well and when asked to lengthen approaching three furlongs to run, she did so effortlessly.

As the run from long-time leader Aristia – carrying a Group One penalty – petered out, Free Wind hit the front soon enough and outsider Rogue Millennium loomed large on the outside under Jack Mitchell.

Though the pair came close when Free Wind edged right, Free Wind kept finding and after a stewards’ inquiry, the result – a half-length victory – stood.

Gosden senior reflected on that Haydock run of Free Wind, which had been a dramatic one.

He said: “She got put through the rails at Haydock. She got up and won despite that near fatal accident and has come back from a nasty injury and 10 months off.

“It was a long way for her to come back, physically and mentally. She’s done that and showed a great attitude, so we couldn’t be more pleased with her.

“She was running way below her trip today. She wasn’t originally in the race, but Mr (George) Strawbridge (owner) is over from America to see Epictetus run in the Dante and we thought we’d supplement Free Wind and run her, too.

“She’s done great as this trip is a bit sharp for her. She’s won a Park Hill over a mile and six furlongs, which is a slightly different ball game.

Free Wind and Frankie Dettori
Free Wind and Frankie Dettori (Mike Egerton/PA)

“We’re very clear that we’re going a mile and a half next time. She’s in the Hardwicke (at Royal Ascot) and that would be a strong possibility at this stage.”

Tom Clover was understandably proud of the effort of the runner-up.

He said: “She ran a lovely race. Jack gave her a lovely ride, he followed Frankie the whole way.

“She takes a step forward with each run. She ran well in France and ran well in the Magnolia at Kempton when she didn’t get a clear run, and she didn’t in France either.

“She’s a really lovely filly, she’s improved from three to four, she was well sourced by the team and it’s great to have a high-class filly of this nature.

“It would be lovely to win a Group race with her this year, and the obvious next two targets would either be the Hoppings (at Newcastle) or the Pretty Polly in Ireland, so we’ll see.”

Middleton a ‘good starting point’ for Free Wind

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Free Wind will bid to justify the decision to supplement her for the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies’ Stakes when she lines up at York on Thursday.

It cost connections £11,200 to add the daughter of Galileo to the 10-furlong event and she now has the chance to scoop her third success at Group Two level.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden she was seen just once last season, when galloping to victory in the Lancashire Oaks at Haydock in July, where a bump she received in running did enough to subsequently curtail her campaign.

She now drops back in trip on her return, attempting to enhance a fine record of five wins from just seven starts.

“She has shown good form over a mile and a half to a mile and six (furlongs), but York is a nice, galloping track and we feel it is a good place to start her off,” said Thady Gosden.

“She won up at Haydock, but during the race she got squeezed up on the rail and unfortunately it affected the rest of the season for her.

“But she has been good at home, she has won five out of six on the turf and she has enough speed to win over 10 furlongs. She has always had plenty of ability and this will tell us more where she goes afterwards.”

Aristia (right) finishing second in the Middleton Stakes in 2022
Aristia (right) finishing second in the Middleton Stakes in 2022 (Tim Goode/PA)

Richard Hannon’s Aristia is the only Group One winner in the line-up, having taken the Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville last season. She also has a fine record here on the Knavesmire and finished second in this contest 12 months ago.

On that occasion Aristia had to play second fiddle to William Haggas’ Lilac Road and this time the Somerville Lodge handler is represented by Sea Silk Road, who has some smart form to her name including when finishing second in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot last term.

One of the most intriguing runners in the field is Toskana Belle, last year’s German Oaks heroine, who now begins life in the care of Roger Varian.

As well as Classic success at Dusseldorf, the four-year-old also went down narrowly in the Grade Three Jockey Club Oaks Invitational Stakes at Aqueduct when trained by Andreas Wohler, and Varian is keen to see his new recruit step out onto the racecourse in the UK for the first time.

He said: “She’s a nice filly and has been working well. She has some strong three-year-old form from Germany and America last year, and we’re looking forward to getting her started.

“I think 10 furlongs on a track like York is a nice starting point for her and will give us a good direction moving forwards.”

Rogue Millennium caught the eye when a staying-on third in the Prix Allez France at ParisLongchamp and represents Tom Clover, while Ryan Moore gets the leg up aboard Ralph Beckett’s State Occasion, who was a track and trip scorer in a handicap here during last year’s Ebor Festival.

“She is the lowest-rated in here, but what she does have going for her is her best performance came over course and distance last season and she likes decent ground,” the jockey told Betfair.

State Occasion on her way to winning the Assured Data Protection EBF Fillies’ Handicap at York
State Occasion on her way to winning the Assured Data Protection EBF Fillies’ Handicap at York (Mike Egerton/PA)

“She also goes well when fresh, so if she is primed for this, perhaps more so than the others, then she is not without a chance. She does have a tough task on what we know, though.”

Beckett added: “She is ready for it and she likes the track and the trip. It will be tough, but she’s ready for it.”

Hughie Morrison’s Stay Alert and Karl Burke’s Poptronic complete the eight-strong field.

Passenger added to Dante field

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Sir Michael Stoute’s Passenger has been supplemented for the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes, with 14 in contention for the York feature.

An impressive winner of the Wood Ditton at Newmarket on debut, it has cost connections £14,000 to add the son of Ulysees into the Betfred Derby trial, which Stoute has won on seven occasions and landed 12 months ago with subsequent Epsom hero Desert Crown.

Passenger would also have to be supplemented into the Derby itself if passing his Knavesmire assignment, something successfully done eight years ago by Golden Horn.

Golden Horn is one of three winners for John Gosden in the last 10 years and alongside son Thady, the Clarehaven team could be represented by Blue Riband Trial winner Epictetus this time around.

Flying Honours looks most likely to run for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin with stablemate Military Order declared for Lingfield on Saturday, while Charlie Johnston already has one Derby candidate in the form of 2000 Guineas fifth Dubai Mile and could bid to add a second string to his bow with Dear My Friend.

Winner of the Burradon Stakes last time, the colt’s owners, Middleham Park Racing, are now dreaming of further glory.

“We’ve got lots of excited owners on our hands at the moment. Very much the dream is still alive! We’ll have a big crowd there next Thursday and they’re just really excited, just to see how his season develops,” said Middleham Park’s Mike Prince.

Dear My Friend ridden by James Doyle wins the talkSPORT Burradon Stakes at Newcastle
Dear My Friend ridden by James Doyle wins the talkSPORT Burradon Stakes at Newcastle (Richard Sellers/PA)

“The syndicate were absolutely delighted with his run at Newcastle – the form is working out nicely,”

“Him and Flight Plan had a ding-dong battle in the final furlong but he was quite comfortably on top in the last 100 yards and looked to be extending away.

“He’s got a lovely, long stride on him and we think that stride-length will come into play when we step him up to a mile and two. We’re pretty adamant that the step up in trip will suit him.”

Cairo and Continuous are possibles for Aidan O’Brien, while John Joseph Murphy’s Ballysax winner White Birch is another potential raider from Ireland.

Free Wind has been added to the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies' Stakes mix
Free Wind has been added to the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies’ Stakes mix (Mike Egerton/PA)

Canberra Legend was a taking winner of the Feilden Stakes and could bid to get his Classic ticket stamped, with the Craven Stakes form represented by Andrew Balding’s The Foxes and Roger Teal’s Dancing Magic, who finished second and third respectively at Newmarket.

In the supporting Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies’ Stakes, the Gosdens have added Free Wind to the line-up at a cost of £11,200, but their star filly Nashwa is a notable absentee.

A maximum of eight will head to post in the 10-furlong contest, with German Oaks winner Toskana Belle a possible to make her debut for Roger Varian and Richard Hannon’s track-and-trip scorer Aristia another name of note.