G3 Winter Derby

There is a faint scent of the approaching Flat season in the air on Saturday as the Gosdens' stalwart Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) enjoys his seasonal bow in Lingfield's G3 BetUK Winter Derby. Not seen since finishing a close fourth in the G1 Eclipse at Sandown in July, the 7-year-old is at the scene of his defeat in this 12 months ago warming up for a third consecutive G1 Dubai Turf. Robert Havlin will be on board the consistent performer and he said, "Lord North seems really well. I...

Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}), a winner of the 2022 G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth S., has sustained a setback to his left foreleg, according to co-trainer William Muir. The bay's racing future hinges on the results of some scans. He was pointing to the G3 Winter Derby, and then was targetting the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan, a race he finished fourth in last term. "When he pulled up after a piece of work he was a tiny bit off on his near-fore," said Muir, who...

Group 1 winners Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) and Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) are two of the 16 nominations for the Feb. 25 £100,000 G3 BetUK Winter Derby at Lingfield. Last seen winning the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth S., the William Muir and Chris Grassick-trained 6-year-old has been on the bench since that victory. He claimed the 2021 Listed Churchill S. over 10 furlongs at that track, defeating fellow Winter Derby entry Harrovian (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}). John and Thady Gosden's Lord North was runner-up in the...

Saturday's G3 Winter Derby hero Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}) exited the race in good order and will target the $6-million G1 Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan on Mar. 26. Trainer William Haggas was pleased by the 4-year-old colt's performance, which broke the Lingfield course record for 1 1/4 miles. A winner of the G3 Classic Trial S. at Sandown in April and the G2 King Edward VII S. at Royal Ascot, Alenquer then completed the trifecta in the G1 Grand Prix de Paris in July and went one better in...

John and Thady Gosden trainee Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), out of action since annexing Meydan's G1 Dubai Turf last March, has sidestepped an engagement in today's G3 Neom Turf Cup and instead heads a competitive field for the latest renewal of Lingfield's £110,000 G3 Betway Winter Derby. "Lord North is fine, but he has been off for so long we didn't think sending him all the way to Saudi [Arabia] for his first run in nearly a year was the way forward," explained John Gosden. The 2020 G1 Prince...

Group 1 winner Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) will not race next in the Neom Cup on Saturday, Feb. 26 as planned, and instead will point to G3 Winter Derby at Lingfield. The G1 Prince Of Wales's S. hero was last seen winning the G1 Dubai Turf by three lengths at Meydan last March. The news was first reported by Racing Post. Co-trainer John Gosden, "Lord North is fine but he has been off for so long we didn't think sending him all the way to Saudi for his first...