Tag Archive for: Rab Havlin

Lord North proves a class apart in Winter Derby

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Lord North set himself up for a Dubai Turf hat-trick bid after outclassing his rivals in the BetUK Winter Derby at Lingfield.

Winner of the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot three years ago, John and Thady Gosden’s charge has since claimed back-to-back Group One victories on World Cup night at Meydan.

The seven-year-old found Alenquer too strong in last year’s Winter Derby, but went on to dead-heat with Japan’s Panthalassa when defending his crown in Dubai and was back at Lingfield for his first appearance since being beaten just a length into fourth place in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown in July.

Despite the lengthy absence, Lord North was the 8-11 favourite to make a successful comeback and could be called the winner a long way from home.

As his front-running stablemate Harrovian weakened, it was left for Lord North to reel in Tyrrhenian Sea in the straight and he did so with ease before pulling three and a quarter lengths clear in the hands of Robert Havlin.

“His work’s been a lot brighter and I think that was a better performance, even if the race didn’t have the depth of last year,” the winning rider told Sky Sports Racing.

“He was a bit laboured through the last furlong and a half last year, but today I was always comfortable he was going to pick up.

“The track doesn’t really suit him or play to his strengths. He’s better on galloping tracks coming off a strong pace, but his class shone through and he was showing us that (at home) – it’s like he’s back to being a four or five-year-old.

“Hopefully we can get back on song and win it (Dubai Turf) outright this year.”

Thady Gosden was delighted with Lord North's performance
Thady Gosden was delighted with Lord North’s performance (Mike Egerton/PA)

Joint-trainer Thady Gosden was in Riyadh to see Mostahdaf register an impressive victory on the Saudi Cup undercard and was thrilled to see Lord North also strike gold.

He said: “It’s a nice double! As you saw, he was midway in the field and he came round the bend and picked up really well.

“He has had a long time off the track, so was obviously a bit rusty, but he was given a great ride by Rab under hands and heels. He never panicked and showed that good turn of foot that we know he has.

“He has won the Dubai Turf twice and hopefully he can use this as a springboard to that, even though there is a month to go. As long as he comes out of the race well, we have a smooth run into that.”

Kimngrace (12-1) benefited from a cool ride from George Rooke to secure Listed honours in the BetUK Hever Sprint Stakes.

Making her first appearance since finishing sixth on the turf at Doncaster in the autumn, the Richard Hughes-trained filly was well back in the field rounding the final bend but flew home on the outside of runners to deny 100-30 favourite Tone The Barone by half a length.

Hughes said: “I have a race in mind for her at Deauville in April over five and a half furlongs and I needed to get a run into her if we’re going over there on soft ground.

“I could have run her in a handicap or a Listed race and I said we might as well have two bites of the cherry to try and get black type. To go and win it was brilliant.

“I said to George to hang on to the their tails as she’s not quite quick enough for five furlongs round here. He did exactly as I told him and he was a very brave, which is brilliant as he works hard.”

Lord North setting the standard in Winter Derby

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Lord North will be cramped odds as he attempts to go one better than last year’s second in the BetUK Winter Derby Stakes at Lingfield.

The seven-year-old has won eight times in an 18-race career, but had to settle for the runner-up berth behind Alenquer when sent off the 6-5 favourite 12 months ago.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained son of Dubawi used this Group Three contest to tune up for the Dubai Turf last season and his rider Robert Havlin has indicated that will be the plan once again – with the stable stalwart and former Royal Ascot winner reported to be showing plenty of zest in his work at home.

“We are happy with him at home,” said Havlin.

“It was a good stepping stone to start him off on the road to the Dubai Turf last year so we are taking the same route. Personally he feels a little bit brighter than he was this time last year, a little bit sharper in his mind, so we are hoping for a big run.

“I think I’ve ridden him seven times, won four on him and finished second twice so he’s a horse I know really well and I’ve ridden him his last few pieces of work and he’s in a good place.

Lord North ridden by James Doyle (right) wins the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2020
Lord North ridden by James Doyle (right) wins the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2020 (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

“He’ll improve a lot for the run, but I just feel he is in nice form and that little bit further forward than he was last year so I can’t wait to ride him.”

The Clarehaven team have won this three times in the last four years and their three-strong squad for this years race also includes 2021 winner Forest Of Dean.

The Godolphin-owned seven-year-old had reopposing stablemate Harrovian (third) and William Knight’s King Of The South (fifth) behind when winning a Newcastle All-Weather Championships Fast-Track Qualifier last time and is the mount of South African jockey Collen Storey, who will be attempting to complete his ambition of winning a Group race in the UK.

He said: “Forest Of Dean is very well in himself. I sat on him again on Thursday morning and he had a bit of freshness in him. I actually think he has come on a bit from Newcastle.

“Rab rode him quite handy when they won the Winter Derby a couple of years ago, whereas at Newcastle I dropped him in and he flew when I pulled him out. It was impressive the way he quickened up.

“I won a stakes race in Zimbabwe on a filly called Raven Girl and have placed in a few other Stakes races as well. It is hard to get rides in these big races and I am very excited for this opportunity. With a bit of luck, hopefully we can pull it off.

“After I won on Forest Of Dean at Newcastle, I said my aim is to ride a Group winner over here. If I could tick that off, I would like to see what the year ahead is able to give me.”

Tyrrhenian Sea won three times on the all-weather last season and returns to 10 furlongs for the first time since finishing second in the Easter Classic at Newcastle last April.

“He’s in good form,” said trainer Roger Varian.

“Obviously Lord North is very much superior – not just of us, but all of the horses in the field on ratings and he will be a very hard horse to beat. But I think we measure up with the rest of the field on ratings and he deserves his place in the line-up.

“He’s training really well, his all-weather form is very good and we’re hopeful of a good run.”

Andrew Balding’s Fox Tales has plenty of back-class but has fitness to prove on his first start since August, while the field is complete by George Baker’s recent Bahrain hero Lucander and John Ryan’s Pistoletto.