Tabdeed bidding to return to winning ways at York

Keith Hamer
September 4, 2021 3:15 pm

Smart sprinter faces three rivals in Garrowby Stakes.

Owen Burrows hopes he has found Tabdeed a good opportunity to land his first success of the season in the Biowavego Garrowby Stakes at York on Sunday.

The Lambourn trainer admitted being a little disappointed with Tabdeed’s effort in the Hopeful Stakes at Newmarket last weekend, when he was second to Summerghand.

He is turning out the six-year-old again quickly as he appears to have taken that race well and only has three rivals in the Listed contest.

“I was a little bit disappointed with him at Newmarket. He didn’t run bad, but I didn’t think he travelled like he normally does. Whether that was the undulations of the track, I don’t know. The ground was a bit loose,” said Burrows.

“He’s a six-year-old now and he’s come out of that race well. When we had to enter it was a speculative one. As the week has gone on, I’ve been pleased with him and it’s cut up to a four-runner race.

“He’s not getting any younger, but he if can run to his Hackwood form, when he was just beaten, then he’d have to go very close.

“For a horse like him there aren’t many options at this time of year. You’ve got the Bengough (at Ascot) at the beginning of October so he would only stand in his box for a month.

“He’s a six-year-old gelding and this year, touch wood, he’s been easier to train, so it’s fingers crossed.”

Tabdeed is 6lb clear on ratings, with David O’Meara’s course specialist Gulliver second-best after only going down by a neck to Commanche Falls in the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood. The Ed Walker-trained Great Ambassador was third in the Stewards’ Cup and has won since.

Andrew Balding’s three-year-old Fivethousandtoone completes the quartet.