Panther on Leger trail
The Tom Dascombe-trained colt gave owner and Manchester United striker Michael Owen Royal Ascot success when producing a breathtaking display in the King George V Stakes in June.
He then headed to Hamburg as a hot favourite for the German Derby, but in a messy race, Brown Panther found himself in front far sooner than ideal and was actually far from disgraced in finishing fifth.
Connections had been considering whether to wait for September’s Doncaster Classic, but Dascombe has decided to give him a run in the meantime and he will meet his elders for the first time this weekend.
“I hope it’s a good opportunity for him. The horse seems very well and I just thought it would be too long between races if we waited for the Leger,” said Dascombe.
“We had the option of running him in the Voltigeur at York next week but we decided to come here and take on the older horses instead and fingers crossed he’ll run a big race.
“The ground should be ideal for him and I’m very happy with him going into the race. I think he’s as well as he was going into Royal Ascot, absolutely.”
John Dunlop is looking forward to saddling Times Up, who lines up here instead of making a trip to France.
“It’s not the strongest race you’ve ever seen but it’s competitive, as you would imagine at the sort of level,” Dunlop said.
“It was a question of either running here or running in a race at Deauville which is two furlongs further.
“I think that might have suited him better, but there are one or two quite smart looking animals in that so we ducked it and thought we’d go to Newbury instead.
“He’s in the Irish St Leger and that would be a possibility if he keeps progressing.”
David Lanigan’s star filly Meeznah finally secured the big prize she deserved with an impressive performance at Glorious Goodwood, but the trainer feels she faces a much stiffer task against the boys.
“She’s up against the colts and it is not going to be an easy task. She’s up against some smart horses and I think John Dunlop’s horse could be a particularly smart horse in the making,” said Lanigan.
“She seems in good order and I was delighted with her at Goodwood. I would have preferred to run her in a race in France on Sunday but they are forecast quite a lot of rain and I thought we’d be better off running at Newbury.
“We want to run her in the Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster and I didn’t want to leave her that long without giving her another run.
“With the ground looking like it will be too soft in France and the Yorkshire Oaks looking like one of the hottest races of the year, we decided to come here.
“I think this year she is probably a stronger filly and copes that bit better with soft ground, but she is definitely better on a faster surface.
“They tell me it won’t be any worse than good at Newbury and that will be fine.
“It’s a big ask for her taking on the other sex, but hopefully she’ll run well.”
Richard Hannon’s Census was second to Brown Panther at Royal Ascot and Alex Smith, representing owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, believes the colt is still on the upgrade.
“The Leger is very much the plan for Census and we are running on Saturday because Richard Hannon felt that it was important to get another run into the horse before the Leger but wanted to stay closer to home – Newbury is just down the road,” said Smith.
“The horse is in great form. He is a horse who needed experience. We felt he was improving with every run and will improve again. We think he is a highly progressive animal who is going places, so we are very excited about his chances on Saturday.
“He will definitely benefit from the extra distance at Doncaster in September and the Leger was always the plan, but Richard was keen to get another run into him.”
