By Tom Frary
Few expected Without Parole to be one of the leading protagonists in the G1 2000 Guineas when he was reintroduced at Great Yarmouth's seaside track Apr. 24, but John and Tanya Gunther's burgeoning sensation might have been just that had misfortune not intervened in the build-up to the Newmarket Classic. Stopped from taking part there by an abscess, the bay who had won by six lengths on both starts with the former on Newcastle's Tapeta surface Dec. 16 was brought here with a view to going on to the G1 St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot June 19. Asked to handle black-type company and rain-softened ground for the first time, he had to up his game here but the market support was noteworthy and he headed to post a hot favourite. Settled fourth early by Frankie Dettori, he was shaken up to earn the lead approaching the furlong pole and was ridden to the line as last year's G1 Racing Post Trophy fifth Gabr closed in.
John Gosden's belief in Without Parole is loud and clear. “It was quite a slog up that hill and I was nervous about running him, as I had missed a couple of bits of work after the foot abscess,” he explained. “I missed a lot of time with him and he needed it a little bit. The ground was very testing and it was dead old ground. He is a likeable horse and good-to-firm ground is his scene. That was a little bit demanding for him and Frankie committed early, but his class got him through. It wasn't his ideal conditions and he came there slightly below the minimum work, but I had to get a run in if I was going to Ascot. He was in his box for a long time, then just walking and I've only got two pieces of work in and one was somewhat leisurely to say the least. We will go to the St James's Palace Stakes and if we have lovely summer ground he will come on a bundle.” Dettori added, “The soft ground was breaking his pattern and he was struggling on it. I think he would get a mile and a quarter, but he has the speed for a mile. He's got quite a classical Frankel stride and is a pleasure to ride. He's done nothing wrong so far.”
The Gunthers, who are having a year of years, did offer up Without Parole at the Tattersalls October Sale but 650,000gns was not enough and the breeders of Justify sent him to Gosden to sport their silks. His unraced dam's first foal was the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and G2 Godolphin Mile winner Tamarkuz, while she is a daughter of the Glennwood foundation mare Marozia. The latter produced Stay Thirsty (Bernardini), hero of the GI Travers S., GI Cigar Mile H. and GII Jim Dandy S. and fellow sires by Fusaichi Pegasus Andromeda's Hero and Superfly. The third dam is the MGISP Make Change (Roberto). Without You Babe's 2-year-old filly by Kingman (GB) is named She's Got You (GB), while she also has a yearling filly by Oasis Dream (GB).
MATCHBOOK IS COMMISSION FREE HERON S.-Listed, £40,000, Sandown, 5-24, 3yo, 8fT, 1:45.54, gd.
1–WITHOUT PAROLE (GB), 126, c, 3, by Frankel (GB)">Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Without You Babe, by Lemon Drop Kid
2nd Dam: Marozia, by Storm Bird
3rd Dam: Make Change, by Roberto
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. (650,000gns RNA Ylg '16 TATOCT). O-John Gunther & Tanya Gunther; B-John Gunther (GB); T-John Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £22,684. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $41,541. *1/2 to Tamarkuz (Speightstown), GISW-US & MGSP-UAE, $1,840,444.
2–Gabr (GB), 126, c, 3, Intello (Ger)–Spacious (GB), by Nayef. (300,000gns Ylg '16 TATOCT). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum. £8,600.
3–Vintager (GB), 126, c, 3, Mastercraftsman (Ire)–White and Red (Ire), by Orpen. (25,000gns Wlg '15 TATFOA; 65,000gns Ylg '16 TAOCT). O-Gail Brown Racing (VIII). £4,304.
Margins: 3/4, 1 1/4, 3/4. Odds: 0.65, 7.00, 12.00.
Also Ran: Glendevon, Stephensons Rocket (Ire), Regal Reality (GB), Silver Quartz (GB), Petrus (Ire), Dream Today (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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