Alparslan emerged as a genuine contender for the 2000 Guineas when denting some lofty reputations in the Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes at Newbury.
The betting was dominated by Aidan O’Brien’s Albert Einstein and Eve Johnson Houghton’s Group One winner Zavateri, but Karl Burke’s Alparslan, winner of a valuable sales race in Ireland in his juvenile campaign but behind Zavateri in the Dewhurst, was allowed the run of the race in front under Clifford Lee.
The two big guns briefly threatened to run him down, but Alparslan (9-1) had a length in hand at the line with Zavateri finishing off nicely in second having met some trouble in running.
Burke said: “I thought we were coming here under the radar and he was always entitled to improve off his three starts last year. They are trials at the end of the day and you never know what might pop up, but I think he’s beaten the right two horses there.
“He didn’t really like the undulations when he went to Newmarket for the Dewhurst, although that could just have been two-year-old immaturity. It was his third quickish run and he came back sore, so the track might not be an issue but it is a question mark.
“Clifford said he is a big, heavy, gawky horse so whether racing round a bend at Longchamp would be his cup of tea I don’t know and the Curragh might suit him well having won there. But he does have time to go to both the English and Irish if we wanted to.
“I’m sure there is another gear, the trip (mile) would be the question mark, but I think he’s answered 90 per cent of that question here today. It would give me a lot of hope.”
Zavateri was of course one of the success stories of last season, only losing his unbeaten record when fourth in the Dewhurst.
Having done little to harm his reputation with an honest second here, local handler Johnson Houghton will now consider which version of the 2000 Guineas to tackle next month.
She said: “I think he’s run a lovely race and was a bit fresh. He had nowhere to go off a slow pace and Ryan (Moore) did his job on Albert Einstein and put him in a pocket.
“He’s picked up nicely when having the opportunity and we’ve finished behind a lovely looking horse who has clearly done well over the winter. However, I can’t be disappointed in my boy.
“I don’t know which Guineas we’ll go for and we’ll make a decision next week. France would be least likely, so it would probably be between the other two.”
In contrast, it is distance that will be the main point of conversation back at Ballydoyle after Albert Einstein came home in third.
Coolmore representative Kevin Buckley said: “I think it was a bit more like it today and he’s run a creditable race in a muddling race, so we have to be happy with that.
“We’ll let Ryan speak to Aidan who couldn’t be hear today and then Aidan will speak to the owners and we’ll make a decision which route we’re going to do.
“Ryan didn’t want to commit until he had spoken to Aidan and I suppose we could still go either way. We’ll chew over it and he’s run a good race.
“He was still in the mix there and when Ryan asked for him he went for him fine. He was happier back on this surface, so we’ve learned something from today and probably more than we think once we start to digest it overnight.”
Sukanya swoops to foil Touleen at Newbury
Jack Channon’s Sukanya came from last to first to put a dent in the Classic aspirations of Touleen in the Dubai Duty Free Stakes at Newbury.
Fourth in a Group Three at Goodwood last summer and second afterwards in a Listed contest at Leopardstown, the winner did seemingly have her limitations exposed when finishing down the field on her final outing in the Rockfel Stakes.
Sent off at 16-1, she was set a tough task by David Probert when dropped out right at the rear and having been heavily backed into 5-4 favourite Touleen hit the front for Saffie Osborne at the furlong pole looking the likely winner.
However, she had no answer to Sukanya who really found her stride in the notable 1000 Guineas trial to win by three-quarters of a length.
Channon said: “She’s a very good filly and had a very high level of class last year. My two-year-olds were very backwards last year and she was the obvious standout and put in some very good performances against some very good fillies.
“She was an unlucky fourth behind Precise in the Prestige (at Goodwood) then second to Diamond Necklace at Leopardstown and was just a bit over the top in the Rockfel.
Sukanya ridden by David Probert on their way to winning the Dubai Duty Free Stakes at Newbury
“I’ve told anyone who would listen over the last two weeks that this filly wouldn’t finish outside of the first three and she’s high-class. She’s got a devilish turn of foot and she’s beaten a filly fancied for the Guineas on merit today.
“We’ll campaign her in big races now. We would have to supplement for the 1000 Guineas and before this my thoughts were she wouldn’t handle the dip. She needs top of the ground, but we’ll see and I will discuss with the owners.
“My first reaction is I would like to go for the Irish 1,000 Guineas, but if I have to have my arm twisted, I won’t complain at having a runner at Newmarket.”
Of Touleen, trainer Owen Burrows said: “I have no real excuses, she just didn’t quicken up as I’ve seen at home or as a two-year-old.
“Whether or not she’s just a bit rusty, I don’t know is the honest answer.
“Saffie said she was the last one to pull up and she purposely let her gallop out so I have no worries about going further.
“We’ll see how she is and as long as she comes out of it all right, the Guineas wouldn’t be out of the question. Maybe she is just a little rusty, but she didn’t show the speed you saw the first two times she ran.
“Other than that she did everything else right and I’m perfectly happy other than finishing second.”
Convergent quality shines through to set up big-race ambitions
Karl Burke and Clifford Lee were left dreaming of bigger days ahead after Convergent defied plenty of congestion in running to run out a snug winner of the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Stakes at Newbury.
The race more commonly known as the John Porter Stakes was anticipated to be the weekend destination of a certain Constitution Hill, but the absence of Nicky Henderson’s star did little to dampen the quality of the final field assembled in Berkshire.
And emerging from that field could be a proper Group One prospect after Lee navigated a course to the front just in time aboard the 4-1 chance, a welcome big-race win for Burke’s trusted lieutenant after his brush with serious injury following a quadbike accident that left him in intensive care.
On an emotional ride back to the saddle, Lee said: “This is fantastic and when I got back riding out and had the all-clear, it’s horses like this you are looking forward to. The horses are in great form at home and this is what it is all about, enjoying these big days and the big races.
Convergent ridden by Clifford Lee (right) on their way to winning the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Stakes at Newbury
“At the time the accident did knock me and it just dents your ego a bit, but once I was getting better, I’m very straight minded and bullish and never do things half-hearted. I go for it 150 per cent.”
On the race, he added: “From the cut-away I could see them edging over and I was a little bit in no man’s land as the race was developing. They all got first run on me but luckily the horse had the engine to get me out of trouble.
“He was just touched off in the German Derby last year and he’s a lovely horse who we all like. The main thing he needs to do is settle and today he was lovely. Hopefully today won’t light him up and he’s very classy – he’d be right up there with the best at this distance I’ve ridden.
“I’m delighted for Karl and the whole team who work so hard through the winter. He almost got me a Classic and he’ll win a nice race soon.”
Burke now believes his winner has earned the right to mix it in elite company, with Epsom’s Coronation Cup and Ascot’s King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes among the big races in the pipeline during the summer.
“If we can keep him sound and going the right way I think there is a Group One in him for sure,” said the Spigot Lodge handler.
“I suppose he could be the best we’ve had over these distances. Before him it would be Al Qareem. but he’s more of a mile and six horse and wouldn’t have this fellow’s gears.
“I think we’ll certainly have a go at the Coronation Cup, but I think the track and everything about the King George at Ascot would be fantastic for him.”
