All fine and Dandy with Irish ace

Dandy Man, Con Collins’ highly-rated colt, is in rare form ahead of a likely tilt at the VC Bet Nunthorpe Stakes at York on August 24.

The speedy three-year-old registered his fourth victory in eight starts at the Curragh last time out when he clinically dismantled a strong field to win a Listed race with a length in hand from Benbaun.

His form before that was equally impressive after he won the Group Three Palace House Stakes at Newmarket before finishing a staying-on fourth to Takeover Target in the King’s Stand Stakes.

Dandy Man has reportedly improved since scoring at the Curragh and is now being fine-tuned for the Group One contest on the Knavesmire, for which he is the sponsors’ 9-4 favourite.

“He’s very good and, if all goes well, he’ll head to the Nunthorpe,” said Tracey Collins, assistant and daughter of the Curragh handler.

“We gave him a break after the Curragh and he’s done really well since then. We are very, very pleased with his progress.

“It was a really good run at the Curragh and his form from that race is seriously holding up – everywhere you look he’s bang there with the form. But he’s only three and is still developing.

“We are very happy with him though and preparations have gone really well.”