'He's A Beast': Wheatley Enjoys Breakthrough On Kodi Bear's Lifeplan In The Gimcrack

The least-experienced in the line-up for Friday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes at York, Martin Tedham's Lifeplan (Kodi Bear) stepped up in style to land the six-furlong contest. Coming off a taking Thirsk novice win last month, the Declan Carroll-trained €165,000 Goffs Orby Book 1 purchase who traded at 13-2 tracked the leader Rock On Thunder (Night Of Thunder) throughout and gave all for Zak Wheatley to get up close home and win by a length as they drew clear.

“There is no feeling like it, it's amazing,” Wheatley, who was unable to claim his three-pound allowance, said of his biggest riding achievement by far. “He jumped smart, but came back underneath me to take a lead and really took off. I wasn't sure I'd get past the leader, but he found that last gear. He's a beast–he's got such an engine and we've liked him for a long time. For the owners and the boss to trust me is massive.”

Trainer Declan Carroll added, “I would have liked a bit more juice in the ground, he changed legs once or twice but you saw how he ran down the leader. We've always held him in high regard, and although I thought it was a stiff task after just winning a novice to come into a Group Two, he is very streetwise.”

“We'll enjoy today. He could be a Guineas horse, I guess, he's in the Middle Park and that may his next step, but I'd want a bit of ease in the ground coming into the dip at Newmarket,” he added.

Trainer Kevin Ryan said of Rock Of Thunder, “We were a little bit concerned that the ground might be a little bit too quick for him, but he handled it okay. When we went past the two, I thought it was done and dusted and he's a very good horse who we think an awful lot of, so he'll have bigger and better days ahead.”

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Lifeplan (Kodi Bear) remains unbeaten to land Group Two honours in the @ABE_Dubai Gimcrack Stakes 🟡🔵@declan_carroll | @weeto_10 pic.twitter.com/x2hJhvs7g3

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 22, 2025

Pedigree Notes
Lifeplan is the first foal out of A Taad Moody (Awtaad), who was third in the Listed Ingabelle Stakes as a juvenile and whose second is a colt foal by Gleneagles. A half to the Listed winners Sunny King (Desert Sun) and Captain Ramius (Kheleyf), she hails from a German family replete with smart middle-distance performers including Pastorius (Soldier Hollow) whose trio of Group One successes included the Deutsches Derby.