Tag Archive for: The Dragon King

The Dragon King to continue in Middleham Park colours

The Dragon King has been backed to help fill the void left by the retirements of Shouldvebeenaring and Marie’s Rock for owners Middleham Park Racing next season.

Both Shouldvebeenaring and Marie’s Rock have been standout performers for the leading syndicate in recent years with the former a consistent presence in the top sprint races and Marie’s Rock a dual scorer at the highest level over obstacles, winning at the Cheltenham Festival in 2022.

The Dragon King was slated to head to the sales later this month having come from last to first to claim the £150,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes.

However, he has been withdrawn from the sale and will continue to don the blue and orange silks of Middleham Park next season, with connections hopeful he will develop into a handy sprint performer.

“He was removed from the sale and at the time there were two sides to the coin and you wondered if it was the right time to cash in, but he’s out of the sale now and we will look forward to next year with him,” said Middleham Park’s Tom Palin.

“There was the six-furlong Listed race at Doncaster we were thinking about for him, but it’s just a little bit soft and he’s done silly things this year, so we will put him away and come back next year.

“James’s Delight is another son of Invincible Army of (trainer) Clive (Cox)’s to do well at three and if he could replicate his progress, that would be kind of what we’re hoping for.

“He’s still 10lb shy of Shouldvebeenaring and those type of horses and it was a shame to see ‘Ringer’ go, but he’s been a grand servant.

“It was a tough weekend and for Shouldvebeenaring and Marie’s Rock both to go in the space of a weekend, they have been champions for Middleham Park and to retire them both, they are going to be hard to replace.”



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Regal performance from The Dragon King at Newmarket

The Dragon King miraculously came from last to first to scoop the £150,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes at Newmarket.

Clive Cox’s youngster was not even in the frame as 7-4 favourite Brighton Boy passed eventual third Ruby’s Profit and made his bid for home.

However, flying home at a rate of knots was William Buick aboard the Middleham Park Racing-owned 5-1 chance, to storm to a length success.

Tom Palin of Middleham Park Racing was left speechless with the result and although entered in the horses of training sale later this month, The Dragon King may have earned himself another appearance in the blue and orange of the owners.

Palin said: “That’s not the conventional way to win a race at Newmarket!

“I don’t really know what to make of the entire race, I was kind of wondering how I explain this and thinking it could be a long day if the one I thought had the best chance (out of all the owners runners) had done that.

“He’s a horse who always gives his all and he needed to give his all there, fair play to William for keeping going. For once I’m speechless, I’m lost for words.

“We haven’t won this one before but we’re working our way through them and there’s a couple more to come. I need to speak to Clive and he is in the sale, but he might have given himself a stay of execution there.

“There’s a Group Two Eddie’s Boy was second in behind Charyn (Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte at Chantilly) and we could supplement for that, that could be an option, but I will speak to Clive. This was the race we had in mind, but maybe not now.”

Ashariba was one of two winners for Harry Davies
Ashariba was one of two winners for Harry Davies (Joe Giddens/PA)

There was a double for Harry Davies aboard David Menuisier’s Ashariba (6-1) in the British EBF Premier Fillies’ Handicap and William Haggas’ Chorus (7-1) in the British Stallion Studs EBF Premier Fillies’ Handicap, while Charlie Appleby’s Secret Theory won the Virgin Bet Best Odds Daily Maiden Stakes at odds of 9-4.

Appleby said: “He’s a nice little horse with a pedigree to die for. There is improvement in him and he’s only come to hand in sort of the last six weeks.

“He’s a horse that has slightly disappointed me over the course of the year and my heart was sort of ruling my head slightly because I love the family and it has been so good to us – I wanted him to be a good horse but he just wasn’t showing it.

“I imagine we will put him away now and have another look in the spring. Will he be a stakes horse? He has a pedigree to be a stakes horse but we will see in the spring.”

There may have been no joy for Nashwa in the feature Sun Chariot Stakes, but her half-brother Nebras made a winning debut in the hands of Hollie Doyle in the Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back EBF Maiden Stakes for John and Thady Gosden.

Nebras could have a bright future
Nebras could have a bright future (Joe Giddens/PA)

“It was a very pleasing start and he has taken a while to come to himself,” said Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for owner Imad Al Sagar.

“He went into training quite late and John has brought him on and he’s been very straightforward which is really encouraging.

“The nice thing was he was sort of half-asleep through the race and then picked up nicely as you would want him too. You always hope, but first time you never know and it looked a smart race. When the other horse came to him he then found a bit more and went on.

“We will see how he is and I think in John’s mind he would have liked to have given him another run, but I think he was thinking we might finish second or third and then slot in a maiden so we weren’t chasing one of those in the spring.

“Now I think we have to think about where we want to be and whether he needs it and how he comes out of it. Plans may have slightly changed.”



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