The Foxes set for distance switch after Derby run

Simon Milham
June 5, 2023 2:57 pm

Epsom fifth to drop back to 10 furlongs.

Dante winner The Foxes will drop back in trip for his next outing, with the Coral-Eclipse potentially on the cards, after connections felt he did not see out the distance in Saturday’s Betfred Derby.

The Andrew Balding-trained colt was a good winner of the Royal Lodge in September and was touched off by Indestructible in the Craven at Newmarket on his first run as a three-year-old.

Owned by King Power Racing, the son of Churchill improved on that display at York, taking the extended 10-furlong Dante in his stride, beating subsequent Derby third White Birch by a neck.

🏆 THE FOXES WINS THE DANTE! 🏆
It was very messy but it’s The Foxes that holds on to take the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes 🦊
Another big win for @oismurphy!#ITVRacing | #DanteFestival | @AndrewBalding2 pic.twitter.com/SXManF06Jb

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) May 18, 2023

However, things did not go to plan at Epsom, with Oisin Murphy’s mount stumbling at the start before recovering to become a threat in the straight.

Having gone briefly third over a furlong out, he tired and finished fifth, just over eight lengths behind Auguste Rodin.

King Power’s racing manager Alastair Donald said: “It was 100 per cent the case that he didn’t stay the trip. He got a little further back than ideal, but I don’t think it made a massive difference.

“He came with a good run to look like he was going to finish a nice third, and then didn’t get home in the last furlong and a half. Looking at the sectionals, it clearly shows that.

“We hoped he might stay a bit further, but he is the same as his half-brother Bangkok – it looks like he will end up being very much a 10-furlong horse.”

Connections are considering options for The Foxes, who was sent off the 7-1 fourth favourite in the 14-strong field.

“We are just weighing things up at the moment. The Eclipse is in the thinking for his next race, but we will certainly look at international options as well,” added Donald.

“But I definitely think he will be campaigned at 10 furlongs and we wouldn’t be afraid to drop him back to a mile.

“In the Craven, he travelled the strongest of any horse over a mile, so we wouldn’t be afraid to drop him back.

“We think we still have a very good horse and I think it will prove to be a pretty strong Derby.

“Sometimes you have a good first three and the rest don’t tend to do much in future, but I think quite a lot of good horses will come out of that race over various different distances.”