Tag Archive for: talkSPORT Burradon Stakes

Dear My Friend sparks Derby dream for Middleham Park Racing

/by

Dear My Friend marked himself as a smart prospect by winning the talkSPORT Burradon Stakes, the opening event on All-Weather Championships Finals Day at Newcastle.

Trained by Charlie Johnston, the son of Pivotal won his first two outings at two before being highly tried in Pattern company in his final three starts of the campaign.

Placed efforts at Deauville and in Newmarket’s Zetland Stakes was enough to convince connections to add the colt to the Derby earlier this week and he justified that belief at Gosforth Park.

James Doyle was in no rush aboard the Middleham Park Racing-owned charge in the early stages, but came home with a flourish and his proven stamina saw him always holding Karl Burke’s runner-up Flight Plan inside the final furlong.

The winning rider said: “We got squashed at the start. It was a funny race, we dawdled and then one took off which opened the race up. We got sucked into the race nicely and I knew his stamina would come into play, he galloped out strong.

“You’d think he’d stay 10 furlongs fine but he’s quite a strong traveller so over 12 he would have to settle better, he was quite fresh today with it being his first run. He would need to relax a bit better but these Johnston horses do stay well.”

A 100-1 shot for Epsom prior to this Listed event, Paddy Power were suitably impressed with the performance and shortened Dear My Friend to 40-1 for the Classic on June 3.

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

He will now test his credentials for that assignment in a Derby trial, with Johnston nominating York’s Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes on May 18 as a next port of call.

“Fair play to Mike (Prince, of Middleham Park) as when I phoned him this week to say we were putting him in the Dante, he said let him have a think about the Derby and I’ll ring back. That was solely his idea,” said Johnston.

“Looking at that today, 10 furlongs looks perfect but 12 might be just too far. A lot went wrong today, he got flattened at the start, he was quite far back and had to make up a lot of ground through the middle of the race. I thought that might tell in the last 100 yards.

“Fair play to the horse, he knuckled down. The obvious thing would be to go to the Dante next but I’ll speak to Mike first.”

Prince, representing the owners, added: “He was always keen as a two-year-old but he had cover today. It was a messy race, they crawled and then sprinted but his stamina came into play. He’s got a lovely, long stride.

“We put him in the Dante and Derby this week and he’ll certainly go for a Derby trial and the plan is to go to Epsom, we think he’ll stay. I was worried he’d be too keen to stay but he showed today with cover he’s fine.

“We’ve never had a runner in the Derby so that would be a first for us, it would be a dream come true.

“We had a stellar season last year, our best ever, and we thought it might be tough to top that but we’ve started well.”

Arabian Storm geared up for Burradon test that could lead to Classic challenge

/by

Arabian Storm attempts to build on an impressive course victory as Classic aspirations are put to the test in the talkSPORT Burradon Stakes which kicks off Newcastle’s All-Weather Championships Finals Day action.

Andrew Balding’s charge was beaten a neck in a red-hot Newmarket maiden on debut in October before reappearing at Gosforth Park last month to register a taking three-length success and book his ticket to what looks a strong running of this one-mile Listed event.

The Kingman colt – who is out of owner Jeff Smith’s Juddmonte International-winning mare Arabian Queen – now looks to earn a return to the Rowley Mile for the Qipco 2000 Guineas on May 6, with connections hopeful they have a potentially smart operator on their hands.

“We’ve been very encouraged by his work at home and feel he is a very nice prospect going forward,” said Smith’s racing manager, David Bowe.

“We thought the Burradon was the right race for him as a trial and we go there reasonably confident we have the real McCoy, he seems to be a really nice horse.

“He has a Guineas entry and obviously we wouldn’t give him that without thinking he was a really nice horse, but the weekend will tell us exactly we need to know.

“But at this moment in time, judged on his home work and everything, we are confident we have a nice horse on our hands. Is he a Classic horse? Wouldn’t that be wonderful, but we’re hoping so.”

Charlie Johnston is doubly represented by Benacre, who signed off last year with back-to-back victories in nursery handicaps, and the Middleham Park Racing-owned Derby entry Dear My Friend.

Charlie Johnston saddles two in the talkSPORT Burradon Stakes
Charlie Johnston saddles two in the talkSPORT Burradon Stakes (Mike Egerton/PA)

The twice-raced Flight Plan brings winning course form to the table for Karl Burke, while Edward Bethell’s Oviedo, Richard Fahey’s Rousing Encore and Kevin Ryan’s Chuzzlewit are others going into battle for the north in search of a share of the £100,000 prize-fund.

Richard Hannon won this in 2019 and this time relies on Dark Thirty, while a year later John and Thady Gosden landed the spoils with Megallan and look to have leading claims once again with Obelix.

A son of Sea The Stars, he makes his first appearance since bolting up by seven and a half lengths over the course and distance in September and is another in the line-up to hold an entry for the 2000 Guineas.

“Obelix won well over the course and distance at the back end of last year, although it was not the strongest novice,” said Thady Gosden.

“The Burradon is always a strong race but, in terms of ratings, he is right in there with the rest of them and this looks the right place to start him off.”

Charles Hills’ Galeron was last seen plundering the Goffs Million on a raiding mission to the Curragh, and connections are looking to this latest test to tee up a big year for the Teme Valley & Aura (Gas) Holdings Ltd-owned colt.

“We’ve got a number of plans and Friday will be the first step in guiding us which route to take,” explained Richard Ryan of Teme Valley.

“He was a clear work in progress last year it looked and has done very well physically over the winter. Charlie is mindful he is quite a tough horse and the race and overnight (trip) will benefit him for the rest of the season in terms of bringing him on and then we can make a firmer plan after Friday.

Galeron ridden by jockey Shane Foley (left) on their way to winning the Goffs Million at the Curragh
Galeron ridden by jockey Shane Foley (left) on their way to winning the Goffs Million at the Curragh (Brian Lawless/PA)

“He’s out of a Galileo mare and that would suggest if you can get seven on easy ground at the Curragh at two, you are more than likely going to get a mile at three.

“The draw has not been particularly kind – no one wants to be drawn stall one at Newcastle over a straight trip. Historically it is not the place to be but we’ll see where the pace is and take it from there.”

John Ryan’s consistent operator Tenjin is the mount of Darragh Keenan and completes the line-up.