Kylian carrying plenty of confidence in Gimcrack bid

PA Sport Reporters
August 24, 2023 12:19 pm

Sandown demolition still fresh in the memory.

Kylian takes the step up to six furlongs as he attempts to enhance his growing reputation in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes at York.

The colt has had a busy and successful juvenile campaign so far, running with promise in a handful of novices before winning the Listed Dragon Stakes at Sandown by an impressive six lengths.

He then went to the Molecomb at Goodwood and was beaten only by Mick Appleby’s Royal Ascot scorer Big Evs, who prevailed by a length and a half and was supplemented for the Nunthorpe as a result.

Kylian stays among his own age group, however, and heads the market ahead of this Group Two six-furlong assignment with connections retaining plenty of faith in the son of Invincible Spirit.

“I think he has got the speed for five, but he was just drawn out on the wing at Goodwood and by the time Ryan (Moore) managed to get him across to the stands rail he was already three or four lengths behind the front two,” explained Philip Robinson, assistant racing manager for owner Sheikh Hamed Dalmook Al Maktoum.

“He finished very strongly and he looks like he will get the six – Ryan thinks it will be better for him. He’s favourite and I think rightly so.

“You don’t see many win as far as he did over five furlongs and I think he is a very useful horse.”

Aidan O’Brien saddles the sole Irish-trained representative in Johannes Brahms, winner of a Naas maiden and second to Big Evs in the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot.

Richard Hannon’s Haatem lines up after his one-length success in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood, before which he was second to the highly-regarded City Of Troy in the Superlative Stakes.

Ralph Beckett has a runner in the Kingman colt King’s Gamble, winner of his only start to date when taking a Newmarket novice in early August.

That success was fairly decisive as he won by a length and a quarter, and connections were clearly convinced to supplement him for his chance at Group Two level.

“We supplemented him and his sectionals and figures looked very good at Newmarket that Friday,” said Joe Foley, racing manager for owners Clipper Logistics.

“He’s a horse that we will probably step up to seven soon, but Danny Tudhope) thought he showed a lot of speed that day and the sectionals backed that up, so we thought we would give the Gimcrack a go. There’s only one Gimcrack every year.”

Elsewhere is Archie Watson’s Action Point, well behind Big Evs in the Windsor Castle but the winner of the Listed Rose Bowl Stakes at Newbury in July.

Richard Fahey’s Emperor’s Son takes his chance, as does William Haggas’ Lake Forest and Kevin Ryan’s Jehangeer.

The Alice Haynes-trained duo of Power Mode and Hala Emaraaty, fourth behind Vandeek in the Richmond Stakes, complete the field.