Sir Les Patterson has emerged as an early Irish-trained contender for the Sprint final following his dominant victory at Dundalk last week.
Having changed hands for 155,000 guineas in July, the four-year-old made a promising start for Stephen Thorne and Shamrock Thoroughbreds as he finished third in the valuable Bold Lad Handicap during the Irish Champions Festival.
A three-time winner on the all-weather for Harry Eustace, Sir Les Patterson has contested two six-furlong handicaps at Dundalk recently, following a keeping-on fourth with a four-length victory seven days ago.
Thorne, the leading trainer at Dundalk last winter, said: “Sir Les Patterson did not have much luck when he finished fourth, as he was drawn very wide and Ben [Coen] was forced to drop in, whereas the other night we had a lovely draw in two and there was plenty of pace in front of him. Jack [Kearney] gave him a lovely ride, got the splits when he wanted, and the horse lengthened away. He is a fine, big horse with a massive action and he put the race to bed very quickly.
“The handicapper put him up 9lb, and we probably could have got more, so we are grateful that is all he gave him. We will put a big ring around Newcastle on Good Friday, while he has a split handicap mark and is much lower on the turf. Finals Day and something like the Scurry Handicap at the Curragh would be two lovely races for the horse next year.
“I think we need one more run [to qualify] and we will plot something there in February time with a view to getting him there fresh. He won't be seen much over the winter. Since the moment he came in, he showed us strong work and I am hoping that he will develop into a little bit more than a premier handicapper next year. Time will tell.”
Royal Zabeel is likely to have major sprint targets following his commanding victory in the Listed Midnite Golden Rose Stakes at Southwell. Now four from six on artificial surfaces for Mick Appleby, he could head for the Listed Midnite Kachy Stakes at Lingfield Park next month.
The same Southwell card featured a heavyweight clash between multiple G1 winner Dubai Honour and G3 Midnite Winter Derby hopeful Shader in the Listed Midnite Churchill Stakes, with William Haggas’ older horse prevailing by a length. The winner will now head for the G1 Hong Kong Vase, a race he finished second in last year.
There was Listed action in France as well as Deauville staged the Prix Lyphard, the first middle distance leg of the Polytrack Challenge, with Zaydann claiming the spoils for Francis-Henri Graffard. A grandson of the great Zarkava, the Dubawi colt has now won three races on the bounce.
Progressive three-year-old Sarab Star could be a Stakes performer in the making for Jack Channon following his front-running victory in a seven-furlong class two handicap at Wolverhampton. Runner-up to Chancellor on his penultimate start, the duo could meet again in the Listed BetMGM Lady Wulfruna Stakes later in the season.
The Denis Quinn-trained Wyld Bill has earned a step up in class of his own after taking a 10-furlong Lingfield Park handicap by 13 lengths. The win was his 4th on the all-weather since the end of June, a sequence that has seen his rating climb 29lb to 85.
Ten Carat Harry could be a player in the 3YO category for Jamie Osborne, having notched his third straight victory in a nursery handicap at Southwell. The son of Ardad has recorded wins at all four of ARC’s all-weather courses since the middle of September.
Four-year-old Time Loop belied a 770-day absence for William Haggas as she easily annexed a 10-furlong novice at Chelmsford. Second on her only other start at Nottingham in 2023, it is notable that connections have kept her in training and she could make up into a contender for significant all-weather prizes in the New Year.
Several future stars from the John & Thady Gosden stable have debuted during the All-Weather Championships and we may have seen another after Organise spreadeagled the field to win a Southwell novice by seven lengths.
