Dunlop's Derby dream to be tested as Knight To Behold heads to Newmarket

Knight To Behold's Investec Derby credentials are set to come under the microscope in the Listed Havana Gold Newmarket Stakes on Saturday as Harry Dunlop prepares to take the wraps off the promising colt, who is from the same family as his father John's St Leger hero Millenary.

Owned and bred by Neil Jones, who was also responsible for Millenary, Knight To Behold was a promising second in the Haynes, Hanson & Clark Stakes at Newbury before going one better at Newmarket on his final start of 2017.

Watch Knight To Behold win at Newmarket

The son of Sea The Stars, who is 66-1 with Coral and Ladbrokes for the Derby but only 33-1 with Paddy Power, had been due to return in a conditions race at Newbury's recent Greenham meeting, but is in line to return this weekend.

"We're planning to run on Saturday," said Dunlop. "We felt the ground was a bit sticky at Newbury and we wanted some better ground, while he has won at Newmarket as well.

"He's got to step up and run in a Derby trial, but we've been happy with him.

"He's done very well over the winter. He seems to be going the right way and in comparison to last year he's a much stronger horse."

Derby entries

Dunlop won the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud in 2015 with Robin Of Navan and is starting to get excited about his latest flagship horse.

"He's got to run and prove himself, but the Derby is the dream," added the trainer, who hopes Richard Kingscote will be on board on Saturday.

"This will guide us, but he definitely looks a nice horse and one who stays. He does some good work and we're hopeful he can progress from two to three.

"He's got a lovely pedigree and is bred to stay. He's not a speed horse, but hopefully he's got that bit of class.

"He's the first Sea The Stars I've trained and it was very good of Mr Jones to send him to me. It's fantastic to have him, especially given dad's history with Millenary and Let The Lion Roar, another relative who was third to North Light in the Derby."

While Knight To Behold has few stamina concerns, the Lambourn-based Dunlop does have something to prove in advance of his participation in the Prudential RideLondon, a 100-mile charity cycle on July 29.

Harry Dunlop: trainer has been powering the pedals

"I'm in training, but I've been too nervous to do 100 miles," he said.

"The furthest I've done if 50 miles and I've not handled that badly. I'm raising money for pancreatic cancer as it's a really worthy cause and sadly I've known too many people who have had it."

Olympic cycling heroine Laura Kenny gets herself an equine namesake

Dunlop, whose passion for cycling led him to name a juvenile, who runs at Kempton on Tuesday, after Olympic gold medal ace Laura Kenny, will host a cowboy-themed fundraising event in the Walwyn Hall on Lockinge night on May 19, when a stay for 12 people in a lodge in Kenya, donated by Tom Fillery, will be auctioned.

Tickets and more information for the fundraising event can be found via info@harrydunlopracing.com, while Dunlop can be sponsored for his cycle ride on JustGiving.

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