Dubai: Trainer Richard Hannon eyes a hat-trick of wins in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes, the richest race run at Newbury racecourse, when he saddles Toormore for Godolphin, a six-time winner of the famous mile.
Twelve months ago Hannon teamed up with Godolphin’s retained rider James Doyle to win the £350,000 (Dh1.86 million) contest with Night Of Thunder. The renewal was contested by 16 runners, the most to line up in the history of the race which was established in 1958.
A field of 13, including five with UAE connections, is set to contest Saturday’s race which is the second event in the Mile category of the QIPCO British Champions Series.
Toormore is joined by three other other Godolphin-owned horses including Belardo, Dutch Connection and Barchan.
Assessing his horse’s chances Hannon told the Godolphin website: “We were delighted with Toormore’s win at Sandown [April 22], when he needed the run badly and had a three pound penalty.
“He was beaten a neck in this race last year and heads to Newbury in great form.
“I think he has improved since last season and has a huge chance on Saturday.”
Belardo, Barchan and Dutch Connection all finished behind Toormore at Sandown,
Roger Varian, who trains the first two, remarked: “Belardo [Andrea Atzeni] is in good form and he will appreciate the rain that Newbury has had.
“I anticipate him running a big race on Saturday. He lost nothing in defeat last time and is in good heart.
“Barchan [Jack Mitchel], a front-runner, is in as well but has a lot to do on form.”
Charlie Hills declared of Dutch Connection: “He came out of his run at Sandown in great form and did a nice piece of work last week.
“William Buick has won on Dutch Connection twice before and rode him in the 2000 Guineas last year, so he knows the horse pretty well.
“They have obviously had a lot of rain at Newbury and I am hoping for a couple of drying days. We will have a look at the ground on Saturday and go from there.”
“I think the mile at Newbury will suit him, providing the ground is all right.”
Champion trainer John Gosden is three-handed with Johnny Barnes (Frankie Dettori), a Group 3 winner last season, Mahsoob (Paul Hanagan), successful in the nine-furlong Group 3 Earl Of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket in April, and GM Hopkins.
Mahsoob bids to give Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, a first success in a race which also features Group 2 scorer Kodi Bear, who was second to Belardo in the Dubai Dewhurst Stakes (G1) last season, dual Group 1 runner-up Limato, last season’s Irish 2,000 Guineas (G1) second, Endless Drama and Marco Botti’s globetrotting mare Euro Charline.
There are also three £70,000 races on Saturday’s card.
Today’s Feature Race
At Newbury, UK
6:55 (UAE) Lockinge Stakes (Group 1)
Purse: £350,000 (4yo+, British Champions Series) 1,600m
1 (1) 11200-3 Arod (IRE) 5 P W Chapple-Hyam Oisin Murphy
2 (12) 234/13-7 Barchan (USA) 4 R Varian Jack Mitchell
3 (6) 7832-14 Belardo (IRE) 4 R Varian Andrea Atzeni
4 (9) 71225-2 Dutch Connection 4 C Hills W Buick
5 (2) 1/222- Endless Drama (IRE) 4 G M Lyons C T Keane
6 (5) 223-054 Gabrial (IRE) 7 R A Fahey D Nolan
7 (10) 87624-1 Gm Hopkins 5 J H M Gosden R Havlin
8 (8) 58150-4 Johnny Barnes (IRE) 4 J H M Gosden L Dettori
9 (3) 2/14118- Kodi Bear (IRE) 4 C G Cox G Mosse
10 (4) 1/12212- Limato (IRE) 4 H Candy Harry Bentley
11 (13) 11165-1 Mahsoob 5 J H M Gosden Dane O’Neill
12 (11) 15130-1 Toormore (IRE) 5 R Hannon James Doyle
13 (7) 4245-22 Euro Charline 5 M Botti R L Moore
Last year’s winner: Night Of Thunder (R Hannon) James Doyle.
Latest Odds: Toormore 4/1, Kodi Bear 9/2, Limato 5/1, Belardo 7/1, Dutch Connection 8/1, Mahsoob 8/1, Endless Drama 12/1, Euro Charline 14/1, Gm Hopkins 14/1, Arod 16/1, Johnny Barnes 20/1, Gabrial 25/1, Barchan 100/1.
