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Dubai Dewhurst Stakes 2011 |
Fourth Dewhurst for Bolger with Parish Hall
08/10/11
1 Parish Hall 20/1
2 Power 15/8F
3 Most Improved 6/1
9 ran Distances: ½l, hd, ½l
TIME 1m 23.81s (slow by 0.81s)
Jockey: K J Manning
Trainer: J S Bolger
Jim Bolger captured an astonishing fourth Group One Dubai Dewhurst Stakes in six renewals as Parish Hall saw off 15/8 favourite Power to land the seven-furlong contest by half a length at odds of 20/1.
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Bolger saddled Teofilo (2006), New Approach (2007) and Intense Focus (2008) to victory and each of those colts, like today’s winner, was bred by the trainer and ridden by his stable jockey and son-in-law Kevin Manning.
Parish Hall, a son of Teofilo, whose Dubai Dewhurst success was the final act of an unbeaten career, is now being aimed at Epsom for the Investec Derby in June, a race that Bolger also took with the brilliant New Approach.
Bolger, whose wife Jackie owns the winner, as she did Teofilo and Intense Focus, said: “He is right there with the previous three. Intense Focus has the record, time-wise, and he’s right there with the others. There’s no doubt he’s in that league, he’s very good.
“I think this fella’s chance of staying a mile and a half is at least as good a chance as New Approach had. He would not be certain to come back for the 2000 Guineas but we will see and have a good think about it but I am definitely looking on him as a Derby horse - at Epsom and then the Curragh. He is very sound horse, so I would be looking at him as an Epsom horse.”
But Bolger almost aimed his charge at the Group Three Autumn Stakes over a mile, later on today’s card.
He revealed: “The plan was short-lived because I had him in the Group Three as well and the Group Three was looking more or less the same as the Group One. The word was that some of the better horses were going for the Group Three today and at that stage we decided to go for the Dewhurst, but that was only on the basis that a mile probably suits him better than seven.”
Parish Hall opened his account at the first attempt at Leopardstown in April before finishing runner-up in the Group Three Tyros Stakes at the same venue in July. A disappointing eighth in the Group One Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh preceded another second placing, this time in the Group Two Futurity Stakes on August 22 and he has clearly progressed since that outing.
Bolger added: “This time last year he was still out in the paddock so he has done a lot in 12 months. He has been improving all along but he did run into soft ground a couple of times and he’s not able to handle soft ground. He is very good on top of the ground - the ground is the key to him, he needs good ground or faster.”
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Position |
Horse Trainer |
Jockey Weight |
Starting Price Beaten Distance |
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1 |
Parish Hall J S Bolger |
K J Manning 9st 1lbs |
20 - 1 Winner |
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2 |
Power A P O'Brien |
R L Moore 9st 1lbs |
15 - 8 1/2 length |
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3 |
Most Improved B J Meehan |
L Dettori 9st 1lbs |
6 - 1 Head |
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4 |
Bronterre R Hannon |
R Hughes 9st 1lbs |
10 - 3 1/2 length |
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5 |
Trumpet Major R Hannon |
J P Murtagh 9st 1lbs |
10 - 1 Neck |
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6 |
Factory Time M R Channon |
C Catlin 9st 1lbs |
66 - 1 2 1/2 lengths |
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7 |
Spiritual Star A M Balding |
J Fortune 9st 1lbs |
14 - 1 Neck |
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8 |
Red Duke J J Quinn |
T Eaves 9st 1lbs |
10 - 1 Nose |
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9 |
Ektihaam R Varian |
R Hills 9st 1lbs |
8 - 1 4 1/2 lengths |
POWER FAILURE, BUT MOST IMPROVED ONE TO NOTE
Five horses fought out the finish of the Dubai Dewhurst Stakes, in which Parish Hall prevented Power from landing a memorable Group One double for trainer Aidan O’Brien.
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The Irishman had saddled 25/1 shot Crusade to land the previous race, the Emaar Middle Park Stakes, but Power, who started 15/8 favourite, failed by half a length to catch Parish Hall, who was a 20/1 shocker for punters.
O’Brien said he was “delighted” when summing up Power’s effort.
Third place, a head further back, went to Most Improved, who stepped up from a maiden win to run a sound race in this top-level contest. Trained by Brian Meehan at Manton in Wiltshire, Most Improved was bought at Arqana Sales in France as a yearling, when agent Angie Loder picked him up for €65,000. He races in the colours of Iraj Parvizi.
Meehan said: “He’s a very nice horse and for a moment I thought he was going to win, but he just flattened out at the finish. He’s lacking a bit of experience having gone from two runs in maidens into the deep end. I’m very impressed with him.
“I’ll talk to his owner about plans and I’ve no idea what they will be at this stage. I’d say, on breeding, he will be a middle-distance horse next year.
“Regarding the immediate future, we’ll probably stick some more information about him on the website in the morning.”
