Tag Archive for: Declan Carroll

Lifeplan on course for Middle Park outing

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Declan Carroll’s Gimcrack winner Lifeplan will head next for the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket on September 27.

The Kodi Bear colt arrived on the Knavesmire with one run under his belt as he claimed one-length victory at Thirsk in late July.

He remained at the same six-furlong trip for the Gimcrack but stepped sharply up to Group Two level, a hike in calibre that proved well within his reach as he prevailed by a length under Zak Wheatley.

The Middle Park was mentioned as a next step in the aftermath of the triumph and that remains the plan, with the two-year-old’s season likely to come to a close afterwards as Classic aspirations await next term.

“He’s come out of York grand and we’re looking at the Middle Park for him,” said Carroll.

“He would like a bit of juice in the ground, it was plenty quick enough for him at York at this stage of his career so we’d really be keeping an eye on the ground.

“He’d never really been away from home much, he’d not been a breeze-up horse or anything like that but he has been very professional in everything he’s done right from the start.

“The Middle Park will definitely be his last run this year, we won’t run him again after that. We’ll be looking at him as a Guineas horse if everything goes well at Newmarket.”

Lifeplan pounces in Gimcrack for Declan Carroll and Zak Wheatley

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A significant step up in class proved no barrier to success for Declan Carroll’s Lifeplan in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes at York.

A €165,000 yearling purchase in October last year, the Kodi Bear colt made a winning start to his career at Thirsk in late July but faced a far sterner test at Group Two level on the Knavesmire.

Settled in midfield by Zak Wheatley for much of the six-furlong contest, Lifeplan (13-2) found plenty when asked to reel in Rock On Thunder and was a length in front at the line, with 2-1 favourite Do Or Do Not five lengths further behind in third, as he again placed in a Pattern event.

“He’s a very nice horse and he’s always showed that he’s a nice horse,” said Malton-based Carroll.

“I would have liked a bit more juice in the ground, he changed legs once or twice.

“He’s a nice horse to go forward with, you saw how he ran down the leader and we’ve always held him in high regard.

“I thought it was a stiff task after just winning a novice to come into a Group Two, but he is very streetwise.

“We’ll enjoy today. He could be a Guineas horse, I guess, he’s in the Middle Park and that may his next step, but I’d want a bit of ease in the ground coming into the dip at Newmarket.”

Lifeplan and Zak Wheatley after winning the Gimcrack Stakes at York
Lifeplan and Zak Wheatley after winning the Gimcrack Stakes at York (Richard Sellers/PA)

A jubilant Wheatley – who is still eligible to claim 3lb – said: “It’s amazing – there’s no feeling like this. To be trusted with him on the track is massive. I look after him every day at home, so I know him well.

“He was a bit keen going down and we had a plan to get a lead, but he jumped smart and came back underneath me after a few strides. It’s a long straight and he really took off at the end.

“I thought at one stage we were struggling to get the runner-up, but this horse is amazing. He’s a beast, that’s got such an engine.”

Of Rock Of Thunder, fellow Malton trainer Kevin Ryan said: “We were a little bit concerned about the ground, that it might be a little bit too quick for him, but he handled it OK.

“He’s jumped, he’s travelled and got up fairly quickly when we went past the two and I thought it was done and dusted.

“But he’s a very good horse, we think an awful lot of him and he’ll have bigger and better days ahead.

“When you get done late on it’s hard, Declan is a friend of mine and I’m delighted for him, but I’m obviously disappointed.

“He’s run great, he’s a young horse and an exciting horse for the future. We got beat and I’m delighted for the connections of the winner.”