Dubawi Legend Headed Straight to The Guineas

The Group 1-placed Dubawi Legend (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who carries the silks of Dr. Ali Ridha, will not have a run before a planned appearance in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas on Apr. 30. A winner at first asking at Doncaster in July, the Hugo Palmer trainee ran third in the G3 Acomb S. on Aug. 18 and then was only two lengths behind Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) when second in the G1 Dewhurst S. on Oct. 9. He did not fair well in the draw of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, and raced too eagerly before tiring to 10th at Del Mar in November.

Said trainer Hugo Palmer, who is presently in negotiations to take over Michael Owen's Manor House Stables, “He has grown about an inch, which surprised me. He was probably barely 16 hands last year, so he has done well and he will very much have Guineas entries and probably a number of them.”

He added, “I don't think he will have a prep-run. He ended his year quite late and it was mid-November by the time he got back to England. He has had a nice break and he is the second-highest-rated 2-year-old in Europe, so I don't feel I need to go into a trial to prove he is good enough to justify his place in a Guineas.

“He handled the undulations at Newmarket very well and for a good deal of the last two furlongs, he looked the most likely winner in the Dewhurst. It would be quite hard not to go to Newmarket, for all the while that Newmarket will probably be the strongest race.

“In the back of my mind he has always shown an enormous amount of speed and I believe that he will stay a mile. I don't think he will ever get further.”

Two other juvenile stars for Palmer, G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. victor Ebro River (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}) and the dual group-placed Hierarchy (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) will not head to any Classic engagements, but will be kept over sprinting trips.

“The plan at the moment is definitely not the Guineas,” Palmer said of Al Shaqab Racing's Ebro River. “We explored seven furlongs twice last year, once relatively satisfactorily, but still not the answer we wanted and the second time very unsatisfactorily. I am content to say that this is not a miler.

“I think, all being well, he will start in the Pavilion S. [at Ascot on Apr. 27], which is the course and distance of the Commonwealth Cup and we will see how we get on there. I would like to think he will go Pavilion, Sandy Lane S. [at Haydock on May 21], Ascot–but the [G1] King's Stand could just be an option by that stage. He could go King's Stand and [G1] Commonwealth Cup.”

Third in the G3 Sirenia S. on Sept. 4, the Qatar Racing and David Howden-owned colt was second in the G2 Mill Reef S. later that month and was a close sixth in the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint in November.

“Hierarchy has done really well,” he said. “He has broadened and shrunk down on his legs a little bit without massively growing upwards.

“He has the option of coming back to the King's Stand. It would be a pain to consistently run my two fastest horses against each other. But they will be racing against each other if they had different trainers. We have to treat each horse individually.”

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Loughnane Duo Will Return at Three

GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint runner-up Go Bears Go (Ire) (Kodi Bear {GB}) and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf fifth Hello You (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) have both exited their Del Mar starts well and are pointing to 3-year-old campaigns. Trainer David Loughnane was pleased with his Group 2 winners, with Go Bears Go taking the G2 Railway S. earlier this year and Hello You winning the G2 Rockfel S. at Newmarket. The colt will be aimed for the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, while Hello You will take part in a Classic trial.

“It was a great experience and both ran great races. I couldn't be happier with them,” said Loughnane. “I thought going into it five might be a bit sharp for him over there. He missed the break by a millisecond which he's never done before.

“Had he jumped, he'd have won. In four more strides he'd have won, but I couldn't be any prouder of the horse. He ran an absolute belter of a race and it capped off a fantastic year for him. Five to six furlongs will be his trip over here next year. I suppose the most logical option would be something along the lines of the Commonwealth Cup.

“We'll see how it goes. He thrived off the whole travelling. There are loads of options, including Dubai at the end of February. He'll go for a nice holiday now and then we'll take it one step at a time. We'll see how he is come January and then we'll make a plan from there.”

Hello You did not travel as well as her stablemate to California, but Loughnane was not deterred by her effort.

“The journey over there probably took a bit more out of her. She jumped, she travelled, she got a lovely run through the race. She travelled like a dream and turning for home, I thought how far does she win, then when Johnny [Velazquez] asked her she just didn't go through with it completely. She pulled up a tired horse. It took a lot out of her. She was only beaten 1 ½ lengths in a Grade I over there when she wasn't at her best.

“I have no doubt on her day she was probably the best horse in the race. She'll go for a holiday as well now and we'll come back and try for a Guineas trial with her.

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Commonwealth Cup in the Cards For Sacred

Cheveley Park Stud homebred Sacred (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) is being pointed at the G1 Commonwealth Cup S. at Royal Ascot. Runner-up in a trio of Group 2 events in 2020, the William Haggas charge captured the G3 Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn S. at Newmarket on Apr. 14, but tired to seventh in the May 2 G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas when last seen.

“That [Commonwealth Cup] is the wish at this point in time,” said Cheveley Park Stud Managing Director Chris Richardson. “We thought that she didn't stay in the Guineas. The Commonwealth Cup is a tough race, but it's the logical race for her.

“She was the last off the bridle at Newmarket, in fairness–she just ran out of puff. We think she's come on well for the experience, and William is pleased with her, so we'll roll the dice.”

Another Cheveley Park colourbearer, the two-for-two Potapova (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) is a possible starter in the G1 Coronation S., also at Royal Ascot. The bay Sir Michael Stoute trainee broke her maiden at first asking over seven furlongs on the synthetic at Chelmsford on Nov. 26 and returned on May 17 to pick up another novice win going that trip in her turf bow at Redcar.

“We haven't made that decision yet,” he added. “That is what I would favour personally, but Sir Michael is playing his cards close to his chest, so we'll see.

“I know that he rates this filly very highly. She did take a while to come to herself last year, but obviously she has come earlier [this year] and she has plenty of potential, which we've already witnessed.

“We can't commit [to the Coronation] just yet, but I'm hoping she might turn up there. She's got plenty of talent and she's one that we can bring along gradually–and I'm sure she'll keep improving.”

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Laws Of Indices Possible For Sandy Lane

Group 2 winner Laws of Indices (Ire) (Power {GB}), fourth in the G3 Goffs Lacken S. at Naas on May 16, will likely make a quick return in the G2 Sandy Lane S. at Haydock on May 22. Successful in the G2 Railway S. as a juvenile and third in the 2020 G1 Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere in October, the Ken Condon trainee was fifth in the Listed Ballylinch Stud “Red Rocks” 2000 Guineas Trial S. at Leopardstown in the wake of subsequent G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas victor Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) prior to his close fourth in the Lacken.

“He's got an entry for the Sandy Lane on Saturday, we're taking a look at that,” said Condon. “The ground is soft and the weather is probably going to be something similar to what we're wanting, he will have an entry there but I won't know until later in the week when I've discussed it with everybody.

“I think if he does go there it will be the [G1] Commonwealth Cup next [at Royal Ascot in June]…and he'll have an entry in the [G1] Prix Maurice de Gheest, maybe even the [G1] Prix Jean Prat.

“He'll be campaigned ambitiously, but he's a horse that's very solid and looks to be improving. He turns up, and when they always turn up you always have a chance.

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