Cape Cross’ Golden Horn Impresses in the Dante

GOLDEN MOMENT ON THE KNAVESMIRE

Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}), who annexed a low-key Nottingham maiden on debut last October, earned his stakes spurs in Newmarket’s Listed Feilden S. last month and turned Thursday’s G2 Betfred Dante S. on its head with an explosive come-from-behind display to maintain his perfect record. Steadied off sharp early fractions in sixth, the 4-1 chance made smooth headway in the long Knavesmire straight and disposed of his rivals with ease once angled into clear runway and striking the front at the eighth pole to best stablemate Jack Hobbs (GB) (Halling) by 2 3/4 lengths, with last term’s G1 Racing Post Trophy hero Elm Park (GB) (Phoenix Reach {Ire}) a further 3 1/4 adrift in third. “It was the perfect race, it was a very, very good performance and he’s a very, very good horse,” enthused winning rider William Buick. “He was a bit awkward on the way to the start, but it was a good, even pace in the race and he switched off. To ride a horse like this is what it’s all about. He’s got so many gears and it was just a case of point and shoot. It was only his third run, but he’s come forward from Newmarket and we’ll see a lot of improvement from him throughout the year.” Conditioner John Gosden, whose only previous Dante success came when saddling subsequent Derby hero Benny the Dip (Silver Hawk) in 1997, said, “He is a horse who has come on since he won the Feilden and his work last Friday was superb. Jack Hobbs was stacked three wide all the way and he was babyish and a bit green. Frankie said he was waiting to be told what to do, but I was delighted with his run. The third provides a solid benchmark and the fourth was a long way away.” Golden Horn could hardly have been more impressive, but as yet remains without a ticket to the June 6 G1 Derby although he retains an entry in the May 31 G1 Prix du Jockey Club. “The decision to go to Chantilly or Epsom is very much up to Mr [Anthony] Oppenheimer, who has been very firm with me that he’s a mile-and-a-quarter horse,” added Gosden. “He has told me that all along, but we’ll see. William [Buick] felt that he finished very strongly today. It’s now up to Mr Oppenheimer if he wishes to stump up £75,000 to supplement him [for Epsom].”

The vanquished will be buoyed by the 2010 exploits of Workforce (GB) (Kings Best), who broke new ground when becoming the first horse defeated in the Dante to go on and taste Derby success. Elm Park’s trainer Andrew Balding is among those buying into the theory and commented, “I was very pleased with that. I think Elm Park has run an excellent trial for his first race of the year. He was fresh and eager, and is entitled to come on for that. [Jockey] Andrea [Atzeni] thought he’d done enough, but he just got tired in the last 100 yards and two good horses beat him. Hopefully, with that run under his belt, we can finish a bit closer next time. So long as he is alright, the Derby is the plan.” However, that is not the case for John F Kennedy (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Ol’ Man River (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), who were immediately ruled out of the Blue Riband by Aidan O’Brien. “We’re disappointed and there’s obviously something amiss with both of them at the moment,” he said. “Ryan [Moore] said JFK traveled very well and then just cut out. He did that at Leopardstown and we put it down to the ground, but there’s obviously something else. We can’t find anything wrong with them at home. All the tests had been ticked off, so there’ll be no Epsom for them. We will stop with them now and give them a break. As for what we will run in the Derby, we will see what happens in the next two weeks. The first three pulled a long way clear and I would imagine that their trainers were very happy.” The Ballydoyle handler was quick to rule G1 2000 Guineas winner Gleneagles (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) out of the Derby picture, adding, “There is no way Gleneagles will be going to Epsom. We haven’t had a horse like him for a long time. He’s an out-and-out miler, but with more speed than Giant’s Causeway.”

BETFRED DANTE S.-G2, £160,000, YRK, 5-14, 3yo, 10f 88yT, 2:08.74, gd.
1–@GOLDEN HORN (GB), 126, c, 3, by Cape Cross (Ire)

1st Dam: Fleche d’Or (GB), by Dubai Destination
2nd Dam: Nuryana (GB), by Nureyev
3rd Dam: Loralane (GB), by Habitat

(190,000gns RNA yrl ‘13 TATOCT). O-Mr A E Oppenheimer; B-Hascombe and Valiant Studs (GB); T-John Gosden; J-Frankie Dettori. £90,736. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, £118,188. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Jack Hobbs (GB), 126, c, 3, Halling–Swain’s Gold, by Swain (Ire). (60,000gns yrl ‘13 TATOCT). O-Bailey, Hall & Hood; B-Minster Stud (GB); T-John Gosden. £34,400.
3–Elm Park (GB), 126, c, 3, Phoenix Reach (Ire)–Lady Brora (GB), by Dashing Blade (GB). O-Qatar Racing Limited; B-Kingsclere Stud (GB); T-Andrew Balding. £17,216.
Margins: 2 3/4, 3 1/4, 13. Odds: 4.00, 2.00, 3.50.
Also Ran: Nafaqa (Ire), Lord Ben Stack (Ire), Ol’ Man River (Ire), John F Kennedy (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result, the brisnet.com PPs, or the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.