Stable News
25-05-2007 The early-season review (II) - Dunlop string hitting the target
GAINSBOROUGH STABLES has sent out a flurry of early-season winners with some eye-catching performances in among them.
King Of Argos was an emphatic handicap scorer at Windsor in April before ground conditions turned against him in the Victoria Cup at Ascot. But he has a progressive profile and should be an interesting prospect in some valuable events over the coming months.
Ed says: “He won very well at Windsor and was hot favourite for the Victoria Cup. But we knew as soon as the rain came at Ascot that his prospects weren’t great as he is a very good-moving horse. The big aim for him is the Royal Hunt Cup or the seven-furlong Buckingham Palace Stakes at the Royal meeting. We may run him before then but he is a horse we’ve always liked.”
Montpellier is another who is starting to fulfil his undoubted potential. There was much to admire about his length-and-three-quarter victory in the Jubilee handicap at Kempton on the May Bank Holiday.
Ed comments: “He is talented but a little tricky! He finally came good when winning impressively that day at Kempton. He is another we’ve ear-marked for the Hunt Cup - and may well go straight there. We’ve finally found his right trip - it was my fault that he’d been asked to stay too far.”
There have been some pleasing maiden winners in the shape of Jeer, Western Adventure (Newbury over 11f), Graduation (1m), Fort Amhurst (10f) and Chantilly Tiffany (1m).
Chantilly Tiffany
Chantilly Tiffany beat the colts in good style in the Wood Ditton during the Craven meeting, while the Cheveley Park-owned Graduation broke her maiden with plenty to spare at Warwick in early May.
Assessing the two fillies, Dunlop says: “We were pleased to see Chantilly Tiffany win on her first start, although this well-bred filly’s inexperience was all too evident at Goodwood on her second run as we tried to pick up some ‘black type’ with her. Perhaps the undulations of Goodwood didn’t help but she came out of it fine and runs in a conditions race at Newmarket on May 25.
Graduation
“Graduation, a daughter of Lomitas, won impressively before finishing third - despite getting a little bit stuck in the soft ground - in a York Listed race at the Dante meeting. Time will relate that it was a good race, I feel. She appeared to be outstayed on that slow ground and won’t run again until Royal Ascot.”
Jeer broke through at Ripon and then delivered a fine effort to be second in a valuable handicap at York.
“He ran well at York and I think the form might turn out to be okay. His next run will be at Royal Ascot in the King George V handicap,” comments Ed.
Prolific winner Tabadul could also have Royal Ascot on his agenda in the shape of the mile-and-a-quarter Wolferton Stakes - a Listed handicap. He triumphed in Dubai earlier in the year and is holding his form well as illustrated by a conditions’ race win at Lingfield in early May.
Ed comments: “He has done very well this year - both in Dubai and here. Now six, he seems a happier horse this year - Dubai certainly helped him. He is creeping up the handicap and is now rated 99 but the Wolferton looks tailor-made for him.”
Madaarek has also visited the winner’s enclosure - prevailing at Beverley. His subsequent start was at Newbury where the race didn’t pan out for him - he was boxed in - but Dunlop is hopeful he can add to his c.v. “He is a horse we like and I hope he will be winning again before long.”
Four-year-old Enforce is a relatively new recruit to the Dunlop string and showed when beaten around five lengths in a nine-furlong Group 2 at Newmarket that there is some ‘black type’ to be secured with her.
“She is a filly that works to a high standard,” views her trainer. “We may run her in a decent handicap at Epsom before trying to get a little ‘black type’ for her - we’ll see.”
A couple of other intriguing Gainsborough Stables’ inmates are Commandment and Broomielaw. The former - owned by Highclere Thoroughbred Racing - displayed plenty of ability on debut, finishing second of 16 at Windsor over 10 furlongs.
Ed says: “Commandment ran with great promise and has come on leaps and bounds for the run. Hopefully, he will win a maiden before long.”
Broomielaw met with a small hitch after finishing fourth on his seasonal bow at Newmarket in April. But Ed is happy with him now and looking forward to returning to the racetrack with him.
“He has had his time off now and is back in ridden exercise. He has actually done very well physically for the break. He is going to miss the middle of the season but is a horse that will hopefully be even better as a four-year-old. We won’t rush him but it is good to see him back in action.”
Tony Rushmer
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