'We've not got to the bottom of him yet' - Loughnane bullish about Dark Pine

2.15 Kempton
Ladbrokes Rosebery Handicap (London Middle Distance Series Qualifier) | 1m3f | 4yo+ | ITV/RTV

Future planning is as important in racing as any other walk of life. If you fail to prepare, you should prepare to fail. That being said, pencil in a summer date at York for the winner of the ever-competitive Rosebery Handicap.

Barsanti took this race in 2016 before plundering the 1m4f handicap on Nunthorpe day, a race in which 2018 Rosebery victor Kelly's Dino finished a narrow third two years later.

Add to that the brilliant, ill-fated Big Country, who followed a similar programme in 2017 when victory on Kempton's Polytrack was followed by a runner-up effort in the John Smith's Cup.

The form of this early season all-weather handicap often translates well to the turf – particularly the Knavesmire – in mid-summer. And the runner the market suggests you need to focus on for both assignments is Al Zaraqaan, a son of Golden Horn who is closely related to Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Awtaad.

Unbeaten as a three-year-old, Al Zaraqaan not only hinted at Group-level ability on turf but also achieved one of his victories over this course and distance.

The Shadwell homebred still looked raw last season and tended to race keenly, but a case can be made that he was just too speedy for inferior rivals and was often left without cover. A mark of 95 may underestimate him.

Similar sentiments apply to Almighwar in the same ownership, who is bred to scale great heights being by Dubawi out of 2014 Oaks winner Taghrooda.

The scopey colt gave more than a whiff of class when he justified prohibitive odds in a couple of novice events at this track last summer, but struggled on his handicap debut after a 105-day break. The sky is his limit, although greater improvement may come when he encounters 1m6f.

Dave Loughnane's purchasing power at the horses-in-training sales has been on full display this winter thanks to the hat-trick-seeking Dark Pine, who has shown an electric turn of foot since moving to the yard.

This trip presents a question mark, but he has been hitting the line strongly over shorter distances and the shape of this race will suit his style of racing.
Race analysis by Tom Collins

Loughnane runner no dark horse

Dave Loughnane is convinced he can compete with the big boys and gets the chance in this against some of Newmarket's finest with Dark Pine, who was winless in nine starts for Dermot Weld, but is unbeaten in two for his new trainer.

"We like him a lot and feel stepping up in trip will benefit him even more," said Loughnane.

Dave Loughnane: last season was his best

"I think he's still unexposed and won comfortably last time out, and that form got a nice boost when the second [Arij] bolted up at Wolverhampton recently.

"Our form is rock solid and he's done everything easily; we've not got to the bottom of him yet. He went up 9lb for his last win, but that's not worrying me and he's every right to take his chance.

"He's versatile and, if anything, Kempton should suit him more than the all-weather tracks he's been to as he's a big, galloping horse who comes from off the pace. The course, in theory, should suit him even more."

The hands-on Loughnane, who started training in 2016 and still rides out every day, enjoyed his best season last term, and is confident he can build on that this year.

"It's about being in the better races with better horses and training as many winners as we can," he added. "We've our best-ever team and we've 65-70 horses this year, while last year it was 35-40. It's a nice team to go to war with and we're excited.

"All winners, whether they're at Wolverhampton or Ascot, mean a lot, but when Santosha won a Group 3 at Ascot last year I said I was adamant we could compete with the best if we had the ammo, so it was nice to show that when we did get to a big stage."

What they say

William Haggas, trainer of Al Zaraqaan
He is an improving horse and he should run a good race. It was only a novice he won around here before and this is a different test altogether. He ran a good race at Lingfield, but this track would suit him much better. He has run well after a break before but he might just need it. I hope he can go on from here though and carry on progressing.

Soto Sizzler (near): six-year-old has a lengthy absence to defyCredit: Getty Images

David Menuisier, trainer of Soto Sizzler
He has been with me for about five months but unfortunately he sustained a serious injury after his last run in 2019 and he had to have the year off. As William Knight was moving to Newmarket, his owner was local and he decided to keep the horse down here and lucky for us we got him. We will just take our time with him as his main targets will be in the summer as he is a fast-ground horse. He has done a fair bit of work but I'm under no illusions that he is going to need the run. He is a classy horse but I genuinely don't know what to expect. He won a big handicap on Derby day in 2019 and the Great Metropolitan Handicap and all being well we can go for that in four weeks.

John Gosden, joint-trainer of Almighwar
He's been off for a while and is ready to start back, but this trip will be on the sharp side for him. He likes Kempton and will probably be doing all his best work at the finish.

Ed Dunlop, trainer of Master The Stars
It is a typically competitive race but he has a nice draw in stall two. I was pleased with his first run back there last time, though he would have needed it and it was his first since being gelded. He is in good form and hopefully he can go well. He needs to improve again but he is lightly raced and he is fine on the all-weather surface as he has been around it a few times. We did look at the mile-and-a quarter race at Doncaster on Sunday for him, but we decided to come here as it was a race we had on the back of our minds.
Reporting by James Burn

Read more of Saturday's previews . . .

Top trainer quotes for the Lincoln, the first big Flat handicap of the season

Roger Varian: 'He has race-fitness on his side and he's quite a smart horse'

Rose Of Arcadia looks a talented mare ready to bloom for Cheveley Park

Plenty of life in old boy Brando as veteran sprinter begins another season

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