Fancied Gosden runner set to miss Winter Derby as Dubai Warrior provides back-up

Global Giant, the 3-1 joint-second favourite with the sponsors for the Group 3 Betway Winter Derby on Saturday week, is an unlikely runner at Lingfield, John Gosden has revealed.

The champion trainer is to be represented instead by Dubai Warrior, who is also a 3-1 chance behind Winter Derby Trial winner Bangkok (evens), while the Gosden-trained Court House could also possibly run.

Winter Derby entries

Global Giant, formerly trained by Ed Dunlop, scored on his first start for Gosden in a conditions event at Wolverhampton in January but now has alternative plans.

After watching Dubai Warrior sail through his latest exercise under Danny Harrop on the Al Bahathri Polytrack in Newmarket on Wednesday, Gosden said: "Dubai Warrior seems in good shape and the plan is to take him and Court House to the Winter Derby.

"Dubai Warrior won a Listed race there before Christmas and Court House has plenty of form at the track and was second in the Winter Derby last year. Global Giant is fine but he has other plans."

Gosden won the Winter Derby for the first time a year ago when Wissahickon justified odds-on favouritism, but he was subsequently turned over in the Easter Classic, a race that could be on the radar of Dubai Warrior in the spring.

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