Monday 12th April 2010
High Twelve poised for Gosden team
Following a superb inaugural running of the £250,000 Tattersalls Timeform 3-Y-O Trophy 12 months ago, a total of 16 horses have been declared for this season’s lucrative 10-furlong contest on day one of the Craven Meeting at Newmarket on Wednesday, 14th April.
Last year saw the John Gosden-trained Nehaam edge out subsequent Group Two scorer Monitor Closely by a head in a thrilling finish and the Newmarket handler may bid for back-to-back wins with the talented High Twelve.
The Thomas Barr-owned Montjeu colt posted a comprehensive victory in a mile maiden at Sandown in August prior to taking fourth in the Group Two Royal Lodge Stakes over the same distance at Ascot the following month.
He found seven furlongs too short on his final juvenile outing when coming home 12th in the Group One Jumeirah Dewhurst Stakes on Champions’ Day at Newmarket on 17th October.
Michael Goodbody, racing manager to Barr, reported: “High Twelve is in very good form at the moment - William (Buick) has ridden him out a couple of times and he has been working well. He has matured mentally and physically since last year and we felt that he deserved to take his chance on Wednesday, although it looks like it will be a very competitive race.
“Hopefully we won’t have a repeat of his run in the Royal Lodge Stakes, when he got very stirred up beforehand and pulled very hard. His temperament seems to be perfect now and John has had no trouble with him whatsoever.
“That was partly why we ran him in the Jumeirah Dewhurst Stakes - we wanted to give him another chance after Ascot - but the seven furlongs was too short for him and that run is probably best forgotten.
“It is difficult to say what his best distance will be this season - he’s out of a very fast mare and it’s often a case of trial and error with a pedigree like his. A mile and a quarter would seem like the optimum trip for him at the moment and good to firm ground would be perfect.”
After saddling Tiger Eye to success in the Tattersalls Timeform Fillies’ 800 in 2008, fellow Newmarket handler Michael Jarvis is also hoping for another major payday on the Rowley Mile with Hot Prospect.
The Motivator colt was second to subsequent Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Vale Of York on his debut at York in July and progressed to readily beat Morana on his next appearance at Sandown in September. He ended his juvenile campaign with a disappointing sixth in a mile Listed contest at Pontefract the following month.
Jarvis revealed: “After two good runs he disappointed at Pontefract. For some reason, he boiled over in the preliminaries and never ran a race. Hopefully he will put that behind him on Wednesday -based on his first two starts he would have every chance.
“I would think that the trip will be fine. He is a half-brother to Regal Parade, who won the Haydock Sprint Cup last year, but being by Motivator, I would think that 10 furlongs is his optimum trip. Without being categoric, I think he would handle the ground if it was on the quick side of good.”
Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony commented: “The inaugural Tattersalls Timeform 3-Y-O Trophy was a quality race and this year’s renewal looks to be an even more competitive contest. Our aim was for the race to attract Classic contenders and it is great to see seven Derby or Irish Derby entries in the field as well as an Oaks entry.”
