Knight To Behold sparks Derby dreams for Harry Dunlop at Newmarket
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Tue 5 Dec 2023
Harry Dunlop is dreaming of the Investec Derby with Knight To Behold after the exciting colt got off the mark at the second time of asking at Newmarket.
Beaten just a nose on his debut in the Haynes, Hanson & Clark Conditions Stakes at Newbury, he was sent off the 11-8 favourite to go one better.
While it was not plain sailing, he eventually prevailed by a neck over Bow Street in the British EBF Racing UK Novice Stakes.
Dunlop said: "They made it very hard for him as William Buick (on Bow Street) tried to quicken up off a slow pace and my horse wouldn't have liked that, but his talent got him through it.
"We've always liked him and he's bred to be a mile-and-a-half horse. We're pleased he's won as he deserved it last time, he's exciting and will go for a Derby trial now."
He added: "We'll look at all options and see how he gets on over the winter, somewhere like Lingfield might be a bit sharp. He'll be in the French Derby as well, but personally I think he'll be better over a longer trip (than 10 furlongs) once he gets organised.
"He works with Fighting Irish (French Group Two winner) and has done some nice work with him, that horse has just won a Group Two and they are two really nice colts.
"My father (John Dunlop) trained Millenary (St Leger winner) and Let The Lion Roar (Derby third) for the same owners and this horse is from the same family."
Just a few days on from dominating Champions Day with Cracksman, John Gosden and Frankie Dettori teamed up for a double in both divisions of the seven-furlong fillies' maiden.
Wild Impala (7-2) took the first, and Gosden said: "She's come on a bit and she's a top-of-the-ground filly. She did it nicely, when the ground is drying up you can control it a bit from the front.
"I think she's learning more about life. My two-year-olds are not cranked up so she knows more about life now."
Timpani (12-1) took the second division after two previous unplaced outings.
"She's a very honest filly, her father, Raven's Pass, was the same. She chinned the favourite and Frankie is still riding on song. She's definitely improved as well," said Gosden.
Charlie Appleby and Buick were also in double form, with Key Victory (100-30) sprouting wings to win the 32Red.com Novice Stakes.
Appleby said: "His home work has been good the last 10 days to two weeks. He is a horse that has only come to himself in the last six weeks and he is a typical late burner.
"The penny has started to drop and he has started filling into himself. We were confident coming here today that he would run a nice race.
"We will put him away now and look where we are in the spring."
Brundtland (6-1) looked a stayer of the future in completing the Appleby/Buick brace, making a winning debut over 10 furlongs in the Discover Newmarket Maiden Stakes.
William Haggas, fresh from ensuring this season has been his best ever numerically, was another on the scoresheet as Dynamic (4-1) took her tally to two wins from four starts in the AR Legal Fillies' Handicap.
"She won well, although I'm not sure she liked the track. She never looked like winning until the line," said Haggas.
"It was a bit messy last time, but she is still very inexperienced. She is a great big filly and she must get better next year, I would have thought."
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