Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials Meeting a Royal Success
       
 
Saturday, April 17, 2010

There was agony for the many supporters of trainer Richard Hannon – not least The Queen, who supported the Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials meeting for a second year with runners in three races including the Dubai Duty Free Full of Surprises Stakes.

Her Majesty was obviously enjoying the company of her affable trainer in the parade ring before their runner, Royal Exchange, in the first event, The Erik Penser Maiden, named for Newbury chief.

Hannon’s juveniles had carried all before them in the opening weeks of the season and debutant Royal Exchange, home-bred by Her Majesty, looked sure to carry on the good work when getting the better of a duel with Paul Cole’s Memen.

Just when it seemed Royal Exchange would kick off the meeting with a Royal victory Klammer came out of the blue to head the Richard Hughes-ridden colt on the line.

Not that Klammer’s victory was unexpected though trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam expressed her apprehension at relegating the Queen to second place.

Chapple-Hyam and John Gosden, whose Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned Meezaan was to condemn another of Her Majesty’s runners – High Constable - to second place in the next, the Dubai Duty Free Full Of Surprises Stakes, released the pressure with the same joke. Both said they expected to “lose their heads”.

Both Newmarket trainers were all smiles, as was Shekih Hamdan for he may be receiving a trophy from Her Majesty at the Royal Ascot meeting in June.

Meezaan is heading for Ascot’s Jersey Stakes and looks sure to give a good account there.

Jane Chapple-Hyam has only four two-year-olds but Klammer has already worked with her older horses.

His defeat of the favourite came as no surprise to Chapple-Hyam, or her staff who all backed Klammer. “We’ll be bold and head for the Coventry at Royal Ascot,” she said.

There was a fairytale winner of the Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup Stakes. Myplacelater cost trainer David Elsworth only 600 guineas. Now Elsworth is adding a couple of noughts to her value after victory of Henry Cecil-trained favourite Bullet Train.

“She was sold on,” said Elsworth, “but the vet failed her.” He added with a wry smile, “Her tail must have been stuck on the wrong way round" - in other words, there’s nothing wrong with her now. Elsworth has down-sized in recent years but is always capable of producing a class animal from unlikely origins.

The ambition and genius of the Egerton Lodge trainer of legends like Desert Orchid has not dimmed as he approaches 70.

The daughter of Where Or When is not in the Oaks and Elsworth said that he would consider raising her in class to the Lupe Stakes.

And his assessment of the Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup as a black-type race in the clothes of a mere conditions race, is pretty accurate.

The Dubai Duty Free Double Millionaire Handicap also looks sure to have produced a winner who will go on to bigger things for Blue Jack is with arguably the most ambitious team in the country under the new stewardship of trainer Tom Dascombe.

Blue Jack was the first winner for the owner partnership of Betfair boss Andrew Black and former England striker Michael Owen.

Black stepped in to provide extra financial muscle to the Cheshire training establishment founded by Owen: Dascombe, rising star in the training ranks was recruited to steer the ship, and the first outing for the new turquoise Black/Owen colours saw Blue Jack dash home in the style of a useful sprinter.

Assistant Colin Gorman said: “Andrew is on holiday in Jamaica and couldn’t get back because of Britain’s airports being shut. Michael is busy in training recovering from his injuries.

“We have 75 two-year-olds so Andrew went out and bought some older horses so we weren’t top heavy with juveniles.”

If Blue Jack is notice of the shape of things to come, the Dascombe-Black-Owen team of all the talents is quickly going to be a force to be reckoned with.

Ends.