Harbinger Triumphs in Dubai Duty Free
       
 
Sunday, April 18, 2010

On the most gorgeous afternoon of the year, in front of a huge crowd for the second day of Newbury’s Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials Meeting, the Group 3 Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Stakes went to Harbinger, trained by Sir Michael Stoute for the successful Highclere Syndicate.

Harbinger had been one-time favourite for last year's Derby before flopping in the Dante Stakes but has returned this term as a “made horse” according to Highclere syndicates' supremo Harry Herbert.

“We were devastated at York,” he said. “The future is in the great man’s hands, Sir Michael has worked his magic. The Coronation Cup or more possibly the Ormonde Stakes at Chester, where he has won before, could be the next stop.” The future looks bright for Harbinger following this Group Three success, formerly known as the John Porter Stakes.

In the Dubai Duty Free Stakes (formally the Fred Darling) Ralph Beckett, shortly to leave Whitsbury for his new base where Toby Balding had such success, sent out the filly Puff for a narrow victory over Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum’s Habaayib and the favourite Lady of the Desert.

Although she reversed last year’s Cheveley Park Stakes form with Lady of the Desert. Beckett acknowledged that the extra furlong of the Guineas was unknown territory and that Puff “wasn’t really bred to stay”.

He added: “She’s got to go though. Sometimes you have to stick your neck out. Our horses have been running as though they were a bit backwards so she’ll have to go to Newmarket. She won today by staying.”

The success was the first for the new partnership of the former Oaks-winning trainer (with Long Look) and jockey Jim Crowley. The Bathwick Tyres Greenham Stakes was notable for a Richard Hannon-trained one-two but the not in the anticipated order.

Canford Cliffs was sent off odds-on and stablemate Dick Turpin at double figure odds. But as Canford Cliffs drifted left - not for the first time in his races - champion jockey Ryan Moore drove the lesser-fancied Dick Turpin ahead close home.

Canford Cliffs lost more ground by his waywardness than the distance he was beaten: the pair were a long way clear of the other three runners and the time was fast. Taking all this into account Canford Cliffs races in the style of a sprinter and though Hannon insisted the Guineas would be a different story, the Newmarket Rowley mile is the toughest in the country.

“I want to keep them apart in future,” said Hannon. “Dick Turpin is in the French and Irish Guineas so we’ll choose between those races for him. Canford’s bubble hasn’t burst, there’ll be no tears tonight, we’ll ride him different at Newmarket.”

Her Majesty the Queen had to suffer a couple of seconds on the first day of the Dubai Duty Free meeting but she added to the meeting’s lustre when Tactician changed her luck in the RacingUK.com maiden stakes.

The Queen received a huge cheer as, after graciously consenting to receive the prize won by her three-year-old colt, she stepped onto the podium for Newbury Director Erik Penser to present the trophy.

It was a great day too for Tactician’s partner Hayley Turner who became the first female jockey to ride one of the Queen’s horses to victory - and Turner had already landed the Spring Cup on 40-1 shot Brunston.

Michael Bell trained Tactician’s sire Motivator to win the Derby and he now stands at the Royal Stud at Sandringham. Tactician may himself head for Royal glory – at Ascot. “We’ll see what the handicapper does and then examine his chance in the King George V Handicap there,” said Bell.

Kieren Fallon, who suffered and injury when kicked by his mount in the Paddock on day one of the meeting returned to winning form driving Forte Dei Marmi to an impressive victory for Luca Cumani in the concluding Dubai Duty Free Millenium Millionaire Handicap Stakes.

Newbury Racecourse Managing Director Stephen Higgins said, “The Spring Trials Meeting has been a fabulous success and we are enormously grateful to Dubai Duty Free for their generous and continued support.”

Ends.