Jimmy Quinn rates The Platinum Queen’s chance of Nunthorpe gold

Rider partnered juvenile Kingsgate Native to York victory in 2007.

Although many have tried, a two-year-old has not conquered the break-neck five furlongs of the Nunthorpe Stakes since 2007, when John Best’s Kingsgate Native lit up the Knavesmire to shed his maiden tag in style.

Second at both Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood prior to being sent off at 12-1 in the hands of Jimmy Quinn at York, the son of Mujadil produced a performance beyond his years, keeping on strongly to deny Desert Lord (second) and the 9-4 favourite Dandy Man (third), who were banished to supervisory roles in the closing stages.

In the 15 years that have passed since, 11 further two-year-olds have attempted to replicate Kingsgate Native’s achievements, with Brian Meehan’s Radiohead (third in 2009) and Wesley Ward’s Acapulco, who was second when sent off the 13-8 favourite in 2015, the only ones to make the podium in that time.

Only Eve Johnson Houghton’s Chipotle has represented the juveniles in the last five years when finishing down the field 12 months ago.

However, 2022 is the year of The Platinum Queen – the impressive Goodwood scorer with speed in abundance and York course experience under her belt.

Add into the mix a featherweight of 8st and the riding talents of Hollie Doyle on the juvenile and it easy to see how Richard Fahey’s precocious filly finds herself the general second-favourite, as she bids to justify owners Middleham Park Racing’s decision to supplement for the Group One contest at a cost of GBP 40,000.

Quinn, with his deep riding experience, ranks The Platinum Queen as a likely contender, saying: “A two-year-old could well win it this year, the filly of Fahey’s is pretty speedy.

“I watched her win at Goodwood and thought she should be right there off bottom weight. If she runs like she did at Goodwood, with no weight, she could be tough to beat.”

Richard Fahey's two-year-old The Platinum Queen has been supplemented at a cost of GBP 40,000 for Friday's Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes at York
Richard Fahey’s two-year-old The Platinum Queen has been supplemented at a cost of GBP 40,000 for Friday’s Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes at York (Adam Davy/PA)

Not only is The Platinum Queen attempting to become the first two-year-old in 15 years to win the Nunthorpe, she could also become the first juvenile filly since 1992 to take home the first prize, as she attempts to follow in the footstep’s of Richard Hannon’s Lyric Fantasy, who shook up the status quo when triumphing 20 years ago.

“The last juvenile filly to win it was one of Richard Hannon’s, Lyric Fantasy, she was very fast. It’s a fast track and a very fast five. Kingsgate Native, he was another very fast horse. You have to be fast in the Nunthorpe” continued Quinn.

There were six horses ahead of Kingsgate Native in the Nunthorpe market when he sprinted to victory in Yorkshire, but the 55-year-old, who is now the oldest jockey with a licence in the UK, was always confident that despite being a maiden, it was only a matter of time before he broke his duck.

He said: “He just got beat at Royal Ascot and then went to Glorious Goodwood and just got beat and then he went to the Nunthorpe as a maiden after just two starts and he won the best part of two lengths, and in quite a good time as well.

“The times of his races at Ascot and Goodwood were really fast times, so I kind of went there feeling quite confident. The clock doesn’t lie and his times were very good.

“If you look at his two-year-old career he made four starts, he won the Nunthorpe and finished second three times including against older horses in the Prix de l’Abbaye. The ground was a bit sticky that day and it just blunted his turn of foot.

“But the horse did nothing wrong at all, he was a very good horse.”

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