By Tom Frary
Maintaining his unbeaten record in an attritional renewal of York's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. on Thursday, Godolphin's Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) duly put himself in the picture for a fascinating G1 Epsom Derby. Coming through the Charlie Appleby ranks with a win in the 10-furlong Newbury conditions race that has acted as an important stepping stone to Epsom in recent times, the chestnut with abundant stamina was put in second early with William Buick keeping tabs on Ballydoyle's Roman Empire (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). As that second string cut loose in the straight under Hollie Doyle, the chasers were hard at it in behind and for more than a furlong it looked as if the pacemaker was gone but Hurricane Lane continued to pound away at the gaping margin. By the time the furlong marker loomed, the 5-1 second favourite was on the case along with Megallan (GB) (Kingman {GB}) with the 13-8 favourite High Definition (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) running a rusty but encouraging comeback race in their wake. At the line, there was 3/4 of a length between the Appleby and Gosden runners with Ballydoyle's much-discussed G2 Beresford S. winner getting to within a further 1 1/4 lengths in what can only be seen as an ideal blue riband prep given his upset preparation. William Buick was on the winner and believes he has a genuine chance in the June 5 Classic. “This was a good Dante on paper and a true-run race, so what you saw is what you get,” he said. “He'll go there with good credentials–he's done nothing wrong and this is an important test which he's come out of with flying colours.”
Making his debut at Newmarket when beating the useful handicapper Parachute (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) over a mile on heavy ground in the “Future Stayers” Novice S. in October, Hurricane Lane had returned in the same fashion in the Apr. 16 Newbury heat which has played host to the subsequent Classic winners Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), Star of Seville (GB) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}) and Light Shift (Kingmambo). Buick is happy that he has the experience to make an impact in the big one. “He did the same at Newbury–once he gets company he battles back and goes through the gears gradually and in his own time but always in time,” he added. “He answers every call and everyone was racing from two out to the line here–at the line I thought he was well on top. I was drawn 11 and so only had the option to go forward, but he relaxed nicely and was always in a nice rhythm. I wanted to give him time to build up his momentum, as he was certain to stay and is certain to improve for the step up to a mile and a half. He's a big horse who has never been on fast ground, but the Derby is usually run on good and he's done everything a little bit smoother and a little bit quicker each time he's run. The way he's going, he's going to improve and go to Epsom a better horse.”
Appleby revealed that the winner would be joined by the G1 2000 Guineas sixth One Ruler (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). “We felt this horse had the best form, so we were confident that Hurricane Lane was the right one to go to the Dante,” he said. “He's got a great temperament for a big horse and is a good mover. It was lovely ground and he's jumped and travelled well and stayed well, so he ticks a lot of the boxes. I was a bit worried Hollie's horse had got away from them, but once I saw he was stopping I was confident our horse would keep galloping and that's what he's done. He's proven he's got stamina in abundance and the step up in trip at Epsom should suit him. I've been on the phone to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and he was pleased, so as long as the horse comes out of it fit and well, that is the obvious place to go.”
John Gosden said of the runner-up, “He came here on trial for the [G1] Prix du Jockey Club [at Chantilly June 6] and if he's in good order that's where he'll go, as that is his trip. Megallan has a better turn of foot on quicker ground, so we'll have to see what it's like. I think the two best trials are the Derrinstown and the Dante, I think the winners are the two smart ones and Aidan also has two smart fillies.”
Hurricane Lane is the second foal out of the heavy-ground listed scorer Gale Force (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}), a homebred of Lord Vestey who was a friend of the Queen and former Master of the Horse and who died in February. Gale Force, who was most at home over two miles, boasted as her first foal the winner's full-sister Frankel's Storm (GB) who was runner-up in the Listed Junioren-Preis as a juvenile and won over a mile and a half the following season. The second dam Hannda (Ire) (Dr. Devious {Ire}), who produced the G1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares S. heroine Seal of Approval (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}), is also kin to the G3 Concorde S. winner Hamairi (Ire) (Spectrum {Ire}), the Listed Testimonial S. scorer and G3 Ridgewood Pearl S. runner-up Hanabad (Ire) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}) and to the dam of the G3 Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial winner Hamariyna (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) and G3 Prix Bertrand du Breuil winner Hunaina (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}).
The third dam is Handaza (Ire) (Be My Guest), in turn a half-sister to the G3 Blue Wind S. scorer Hazarista (Ire) (Barathea {Ire}) and the G3 Athasi S. winner Hazariya (Ire) (Xaar {GB}) with the latter being the dam of the G1 Epsom and Irish Derby hero Harzand (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). Gale Force's as-yet unraced 2-year-old colt by Harzand's sire is named Sweet William (Ire), while she also has a yearling filly by Australia (GB).
Thursday, York, Britain
AL BASTI EQUIWORLD DUBAI DANTE S.-G2, £165,000, York, 5-13, 3yo, 10f 56yT, 2:10.06, gd.
1–HURRICANE LANE (IRE), 126, c, 3, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Gale Force (GB) (SW-Fr & SP-Eng), by Shirocco (Ger)
2nd Dam: Hannda (Ire), by Dr Devious (Ire)
3rd Dam: Handaza (Ire), by Be My Guest
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (200,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Godolphin; B-Normandie Stud Ltd (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. £93,572. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $156,446. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Megallan (GB), 126, c, 3, Kingman (GB)–Eastern Belle (GB), by Champs Elysees (GB). O-A E Oppenheimer; B-Hascombe & Valiant Stud Ltd (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden. £35,475.
3–High Definition (Ire), 126, c, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Palace (Ire), by Fastnet Rock (Aus). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Westerberg; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £17,754.
Margins: 3/4, 1 1/4, 2 1/4. Odds: 5.00, 14.00, 1.63.
Also Ran: Roman Empire (Ire), Gear Up (Ire), Pythagoras (Ire), Flying Visit (Ire), Belloccio (Fr), Royal Champion (Ire), Uncle Bryn (GB). Scratched: Alenquer (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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