DABYAH EYES GUINEAS
JOHN GOSDEN further strengthened his formidable hand for this year’s Classics after Dabyah dominated her rivals in the Fred Darling Stakes at Newbury.
The Clarehaven maestro has been in irresistible form this week, with his Saturday treble in Berkshire taking his tally to 12 winners in the space of five days.
Feilden Stakes winner Khalidi and Nell Gwyn heroine Daban both looked destined for the big league after major successes at Newmarket’s Craven meeting, while Shutter Speed moved towards the head of the betting for the Oaks after impressing at Newbury on Friday.
Dabyah, making her first appearance of the season, was the 6-4 favourite for the Fred Darling – now known as the Dubai Duty Free Stakes – and made every yard of the running under an ultra-confident Frankie Dettori.
The daughter of Sepoy is a best priced 12-1 for the Qipco 1000 Guineas, the same odds as Daban, and Gosden said: “The other filly (Daban) is more laid-back and very relaxed and likes to come with a late run, whereas this one is out the gate racing.
“She pricked her ears well, which is a good sign. We will look at either the French or English Guineas for sure and she will go for one of those two races.
“We will see what the owner thinks but the jockey would like to run Daban at Newmarket and Dabyah in France.”
Gosden also landed the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Stakes – better known as the John Porter – with 9-2 shot Muntahaa, before completing his hat-trick with Face The Facts (7-2) in the onemile-three-furlong maiden.
■ The Richard Hannon-trained Barney Roy appears a major contender for the Qipco 2000 Guineas in less than a fortnight’s time after comfortably seeing off fellow Godolphin-owned colt Dream Castle in the JLT Greenham Stakes.
The 5-2 chance had two lengths in hand at the line under James Doyle, who only recently returned from a spell in Australia.
Barney Roy is a best priced 6-1 for the Guineas at Newmarket on May 6.
Hannon, who won the Guineas in 2014 with Night Of Thunder, said: “I thought he was in trouble four down then he went ‘whoosh’.
“He has got a chance of going to the Guineas. He will get a trip as well now that he is more relaxed.
“I did say in the summer he might get a Derby trip, whether he gets that far I don’t know.”