Tag Archive for: Persian Dreamer

Persian Dreamer heads Amo’s Marygate charge

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Amo Racing have been in blistering form in two-year-old contests this term and hold an ultra-strong hand in the Clipper EBF Marygate Fillies’ Stakes that kicks off the action at York on Friday.

Two Dominic Ffrench Davis-trained runners feature in this Listed event, with Persian Dreamer leading the charge on the back of a blistering display at Newmarket on debut and Nottingham scorer Treasure Storm providing able support.

Three fillies have done the Marygate/Queen Mary double in the past and this could prove the perfect stepping stone to Royal Ascot for Persian Dreamer, who is not only of warm order for this contest, but also the market leader for the Queen Mary itself.

“We think Persian Dreamer is a very classy filly and I think she has a standout chance in the race,” said Ffrench Davis.

“There are one or two obvious dangers. I think the Richard Hannon horse (Gaiden) will come on a lot for her debut at Windsor, she looked a nice type there and we have a little bit of a line through the form with Always Love You who was fourth that day.

“She was very impressive at Newmarket and has come on well since then. We are looking towards Ascot with her but this is a stepping stone and hopefully she can get the job done.”

He went on: “Treasure Storm has done nothing wrong. She was a little bit green on her first start and then improved on that to win at Nottingham, but we don’t think she is in the same league as Persian Dreamer. We would love it if she could run into a place.”

Treasure Storm takes the opening EBF Fillies' Novice Stakes at Nottingham
Treasure Storm takes the opening EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes at Nottingham (PA)

Karl Burke saddled the one-two in this 12 months ago and saddles two classy prospects as he attempts to repeat the dose.

One of the Spigot Lodge duo is the Middleham Park Racing-owned Got To Love A Grey who created a deep impression when scorching to a six-length success at Nottingham last month.

“She was very impressive at Nottingham, she was drawn out wide there and did everything Sam (James, jockey) asked of her and and was very impressive at the end,” said Middleham Park’s Mike Prince.

“It’s a sharp five furlongs at York and we do think she will step up to six furlongs at some point. It looks a very warm race with some decent fillies in it – I think it’s a very decent renewal and a strong affair.

“It’s interesting because it’s probably the first two-year-old race for the fillies that brings all the form lines together, so it will be interesting to see who is on the right form lines, but she couldn’t have done any more at Nottingham and hopefully goes there with every chance.”

Meanwhile, stablemate Dorothy Lawrence represents last year’s winning owners Clipper Logistics, but has just over three lengths to find with Persian Dreamer from when they met on the Rowley Mile earlier in the campaign.

Ryan Moore takes over in the saddle now and told Betfair: “I think she probably bumped into a good one when beaten at Newmarket last month, but she clearly shaped very well there and hopefully she can improve a good deal for it.”

Rod Milman’s Beenham built on her debut at Bath when accounting for a decent cast at Goodwood recently, while Richard Hannon’s Gaiden bumped into a useful looking rival when runner-up at Windsor and can be expected to take a step forward now.

Similar sentiments also apply to Tierney who finished an encouraging fourth when pitched into the Lily Agnes at Chester for her first start and trainer Hugo Palmer is keen to see if the speedy daughter of Mehmas can better that first racecourse effort on ground which will suit his filly much better this time.

He said: “She’s very much a filly for the here and now, she’s a speedy filly.

“She ran really well in the Lily Agnes taking on unpenalised winners, so it was a really good effort.

“The ground was much too soft for her at Chester, but I thought she ran a really encouraging race, although she will obviously need to step forward on that in stakes company.”

Bellarchi (Grant Tuer), Callianassa (Brian Ellison) and Miss Woo Woo (Robert Cowell) complete the field of 10.

Persian Dreamer team deliberating Royal Ascot route

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Dominic Ffrench Davis believes the Clipper EBF Marygate Fillies’ Stakes at York could be the perfect spot for Persian Dreamer to tune up for the Queen Mary Stakes.

Owned by Amo Racing, the speedy daughter of Calyx knew exactly what was required at Newmarket on debut, racing prominently before surging to a three-and-a-quarter-length victory – a performance that saw her priced up as the 13-2 favourite with Unibet for the five-furlong dash at the Royal meeting.

Gilded (2006), Ceiling Kitty (2012) and Signora Cabello (2018) have all done the Marygate/Queen Mary double in the past but connections are still to decide what route Persian Dreamer will take to Ascot, with the option of heading straight to the Berkshire track also on the table for the €145,000 buy.

However, Ffrench David feels the opportunity to secure black type in the Listed contest before her main objective later in the summer is an attractive proposition, though the filly is also entered in a conditions event at Salisbury on Thursday.

He said: “She’s a very exciting filly and is a lovely, laid-back sort.

“She’s come out of her Newmarket run well and we’re just trying to decide whether we go for a novice, go for the Marygate or whether we go straight to the Queen Mary.

“I quite fancy the Marygate myself, that would be my preferred option. It would be nice to go to Royal Ascot having already got some black type and her value is cemented once she has black type.

“The race comes at just about the right time. There’s a nice space between Newmarket and the Marygate and then again a nice gap between the Marygate and Ascot.”

Ffrench Davis has enjoyed a fruitful start to the 2023 season aided by his link up with the Amo Racing operation and another exciting prospect for the trainer-owner combination is Maxident.

The gelded son of Nathaniel relished testing ground when romping to an emphatic 50-length triumph at Leicester on debut and although failing to follow up under a penalty in quicker conditions at Haydock, Ffrench Davis is toying with an entry for the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot if the ground came up soft.

“We do think he likes soft ground and to take those rivals on on quicker ground at Haydock was always going to be a struggle under a penalty,” the handler continued.

“But he’s come out of the race fine and we will be looking for somewhere with a bit of juice for him.

“He will definitely go further, I could see him getting one-mile-six very easily and he would probably stay two miles. If Ascot was to come up soft, then we wouldn’t be averse to an entry in something like the Queen’s Vase. But then if Ascot came up good to firm, we wouldn’t be going there.”