Norway option for globetrotter Robin Of Navan after successful German raid

Harry Dunlop's globetrotting flagbearer Robin Of Navan could again be on his travels after taking his prize-money to nearly £500,000 when winning Sunday's Meilen Trophy at Dusseldorf.

Owned by the Haven't A Pot team and Richard Foden, Robin Of Navan, who provided Dunlop with his breakthrough top-level triumph in the 2015 Criterium de Saint-Cloud, made all under Alexander Pietsch in the mile event, repelling fellow Lambourn raider Indian Blessing by two lengths.

It was a display that thrilled the trainer, who was also pleased his plan to swerve the same afternoon's Prix Messidor paid off.

Robin Of Navan with Christina and Harry DunlopCredit: Edward Whitaker

He said: "It was a top performance. We put a pair of cheekpieces on him and fast ground is important now. It was testing at Royal Ascot, which didn't suit him in the Hunt Cup, but he made the running on Sunday and thoroughly enjoyed it.

"He gave weight to the sixth-placed Shalona, who was third in the German 1,000 Guineas, and Indian Blessing is a good marker for genuine Group form.

"I think a mile, a mile-one-furlong – not a mile and a quarter – is his trip now and I don't think he needs to make the running, but small fields are an area we can exploit."

The six-year-old Robin Of Navan, who has also finished second in an Italian Group 1 and eighth in the 2017 Longines Hong Kong Cup, could now take in Norway's Group 3 Marit Sveaas Minnelop at Ovrevoll racecourse near Oslo on August 25.

"It's a very valuable race, but there's also the Sovereign Stakes at Salisbury," Dunlop added. "He was our first Group 1 winner and has been a star all the way through. It's lovely these older horses can keep going so well."

Dunlop is set to bid for more Group-race glory at York on Saturday with the classy Knight To Behold engaged in the Sky Bet York Stakes.

Second to Crystal Ocean – the world's best horse according to official handicappers – in Sandown's Gordon Richards Stakes in April, Neil Jones's homebred was not beaten far when seventh in the Prix d'Ispahan the following month.

"The plan is to run," continued Dunlop, who could turn to Ben Curtis for the ride with Oisin Murphy on duty at Ascot. "Hopefully he can bring that Crystal Ocean form. He's run twice at Longchamp, including the d'Ispahan, and it's not really worked out. Last time it was a mile-one and they sat behind and outsprinted him.

"He's in good form. We had him in the Eclipse, but just felt it would be a tough race, so we've waited for this. I think he'll be okay on the track and the ground should be ideal unless it's really firm."

You might also be interested in:

A review of Hong Kong's season

The entries for Saturday's Sky Bet York Stakes

Harry Dunlop's stats and form

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