'He's moved forward massively' - 20-1 Guineas hope impresses in Newmarket gallop
Dubawi Legend provided a reminder of his former stablemate and 2,000 Guineas winner Galileo Gold when impressing in a pre-Classic workout on the opening day of the Craven meeting on Tuesday.
Trainer Hugo Palmer was repeating an exercise he successfully employed in 2016 by giving his Dewhurst Stakes runner-up a full dress rehearsal over a mile.
Ridden by Tom Marquand, Dubawi Legend was last for most of the gallop, which was initially headed by handicapper Battered and Power Of States, who took it up at the Bushes under Michael Hills. Marquand asked Dubawi Legend to stretch out in the Dip and he was five lengths clear at the post.
A general 20-1 chance for the Qipco 2,000 Guineas on April 30, Dubawi Legend was watched by Palmer's new landlord Michael Owen as well as owner Ali Ridha's racing managers Bruce Raymond and Philip Robinson.
Qipco 2,000 Guineas (April 30): all entries and betting
Palmer said: "That was just what we wanted. Michael Hills on Power Of States said he was flat out from the three-furlong pole, which is what we wanted to draw the three-year-old into it.
"Tom said he was beautifully switched off in behind and finished very well. He came and rode him at Wolverhampton a couple of weeks ago but Dubawi Legend has moved forward massively from that.
"Whether Tom can ride him in the Guineas is another matter as he may have other commitments but if Charlie Appleby only runs one in the Guineas then James Doyle will ride."
Earlier, fellow 20-1 chance Triple Time kicked off three pre-race exercises when covering a mile under Andrea Atzeni.
Trainer Kevin Ryan said: "It was important to give him a feel of the track down here. He quickened up into the Dip and out of it and took a bit of pulling up, which is encouraging. He has options like the French Derby but the best trial is the Guineas as we know. We didn't bring a lead horse for him as he does it all himself. He's a big, long-striding horse who likes nice ground."
The other workout involved Mark and Charlie Johnston's Royal Patronage, who beat Coroebus by a neck in the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes at the track last September.
The Highclere Racing colt is in the 2,000 Guineas, for which he is a 25-1 chance, but is also in the Group 2 Dante Stakes at York next month.
Qipco 2,000 Guineas (3.40 Newmarket, April 30)
bet365: 5-2 Native Trail, 7-2 Coroebus, 9-2 Luxembourg, 9 Point Lonsdale, 14 Perfect Power, 16 Angel Bleu, 20 bar.
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Published on 12 April 2022inNews
Last updated 15:38, 12 April 2022
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