Tag Archive for: The Foxes

The Foxes foils White Birch for Dante glory

/in /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.”

Dante bid possible for The Foxes

/in /by

A crack at York’s Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes appears to be on the cards for The Foxes following his second on reappearance in the Craven Stakes.

The Andrew Balding-trained colt cost 440,000 guineas as a yearling and went someway to justifying that price-tag when following up his maiden success at Goodwood with victory in the Royal Lodge at Newmarket in his final appearance at two.

The form of that Group Two triumph got a boost when runner-up Dubai Mile successfully stepped up to 10 furlongs in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud and The Foxes will likely now be given his own opportunity to shine at that distance following a pleasing return at Newmarket.

The Foxes (left) winning the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket last September
The Foxes (left) winning the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket last September (David Davies/PA)

Tackling a mile in the Craven, he travelled smoothly before giving way to Karl Burke’s 2000 Guineas contender Indestructible in the closing stages – a run that will have blown away any cobwebs before a trip to the Knavesmire on May 18.

“He’s a lovely horse. In hindsight I wish I had just followed Indestructible a bit longer,” said Oisin Murphy – who rode The Foxes on the Rowley Mile.

“We felt before the race he would stay a mile and a quarter well and Andrew (Balding) and Alastair Donald (racing manager for owners King Power Racing) mentioned he will probably go for the Dante.

“He’s by Churchill who is a son of Galileo and his best distance was over a mile and we also know the family – we had Bangkok who is the half-brother. He is a lovely horse.”

The Foxes pencilled in for Craven Stakes return

/in /by

The Foxes could start his campaign in the Craven Stakes as he hopes to tread a path to the Derby.

The son of Churchill won for the first time in a Goodwood maiden in July last year, then taking a step forward to land the Group Two Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket in September.

The Craven Stakes, a Group Three event run over a mile at the same track in mid-April, is the probable starting point for the colt this term.

The Foxes (left) winning the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes
The Foxes (left) winning the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes (David Davies/PA)

The Dante, a Group Two step up to 10 furlongs, has been mentioned as the next target, after which a tilt at the Derby is under consideration for the King Power-owned three-year-old.

Trainer Andrew Balding said: “We are hoping that The Foxes might make up into a Derby horse this season.

“He is not in the 2000 Guineas but he will probably run in the Craven as a prep for the Dante.

“He is a horse that we have always rated and he looks the part. Hopefully he will be a smart horse this season.”