Mildenberger battles home in Feilden
Tough colt earns tilt at Dante with game victory Appleby predicts bright future for Aurum
Mildenberger built on his solid juvenile season when staying on strongly to land the bet365 Feilden Stakes at Newmarket yesterday and earned himself a crack at York’s Dante Stakes next month.
The son of Teofilo had to work hard but there was much to like about the way he knuckled down to the task when success seemed unlikely a furlong out as Fortune’s Pearl, who had been allowed a soft lead, kicked two lengths clear.
Mildenberger responded well to the questions jockey James Doyle was asking and they hit the front on the climb to the line, eventually winning by half-a-length.
The Aidan O’brien-trained 7-4 favourite Kew Gardens never got into the race and was beaten a further six lengths into third.
Winning trainer Mark Johnston said: “James said that he wasn’t sure they were going quick enough. The horse is a bit laid-back and James wasn’t sure if he was giving the leader a bit too much rope.
“He got there nicely in the end. I’ll talk to the owner [Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum] and his representatives. We’ll decide a plan, but the Dante [York] looks the obvious race, and that will tell us whether we go to the Derby or not.”
Having earlier expressed satisfaction with Prix Ganay-bound Cracksman’s gallop before racing, John Gosden then saw Purser fend off a persistent challenge from the odds-on Symbolization in the British EBF bet365 Conditions Stakes.
Gosden told Racing UK: “I think the King Charles II will be a nice place for him next before, hopefully, the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot. I’d have to discuss it with the owner [Prince Khalid Abdullah) but I think he’d be perfect for America, around two turns.”
Charlie Appleby always has his string well forward in spring and advertised that fact when Aurum made a taking debut in the first division of the Alex Scott Maiden.
Appleby said: “He’s a horse with a bright future. If he sharpens up, we might come back in trip as he’s bred for sprinting, but it would be nice if we could go a mile as there are more options.”
Karl Burke has his team in good form and struck with Mjjack, who won the bet365 handicap a shade comfortably. “I think he is a Group Three horse with give in the ground. We will probably go for the Victoria Cup if the Handicapper is not too harsh,” said Burke.