By Tom Frary
Last seen finishing second to TDN Rising Star Just Wonderful (Dansili {GB}) in Newmarket's G2 Rockfel S. over seven furlongs in September, Dandhu (GB) (Dandy Man {Ire}) gave that peer a boost on Saturday when prevailing in a thriller for the G3 Dubai Duty Free S. Held up in rear of the main group early by Gerald Mosse, the 8-1 shot who was a touch keen initially was brought to bear on Star Terms (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) and TDN Rising Star So Perfect (Scat Daddy) approaching the final furlong. Getting her head marginally in front soon after, the chestnut managed to find the line first as Iconic Choice (GB) (Sixties Icon {GB}) ground her way into her advantage with every lunge. In the photo, a short head was deciphered to be the margin between them, with the same distance back to So Perfect and 3/4 of a length to Star Terms as the quartet pulled away from the rest. Trainer David Elsworth, who was registering his first success in this race which is better known as the “Fred Darling”, was issuing a warning about the winner's chances of lining up in the G1 1000 Guineas in three weeks' time. “Firm ground on the Rowley Mile [at Newmarket] worries me, so she's also in the French Guineas [May 12 G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches at ParisLongchamp] and the [May 26 G1] Irish Guineas [at The Curragh],” he said. “I'm worried about the ground, and that is why I ran her here and not there. It is an undulating course, that mile. Of course, we will go if we can – but it is a long season.”
Elsworth revealed that he had been light on the winner in the lead-up to her return. “When I started to work her, she immediately looked fit and for a Classic filly I would have thought she'd need plenty of work but I've done very little with her,” he explained. “She gave us good signals. We thought we'd rather go short in trip here than put her over the top and I'm sure she'll find a bit of improvement.”
Like the Greenham winner Mohaather, Dandhu also has a pedigree which leans toward sprinting. Her unraced dam, who also produced Maid a Million (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) who was placed in the six-furlong Listed October S., is a half-sister to the G1 Falmouth S. heroine Rajeem (GB) (Diktat {GB}). She in turn is the dam of Invincible Army (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), whose successes over six include the G3 Pavilion S. and G3 Sirenia S. and who was also runner-up in the G2 Gimcrack S. and G2 Sandy Lane S. She is also connected to the G1 Prix Morny winner Hoh Magic (GB) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}).
Saturday, Newbury, Britain
DUBAI DUTY FREE S. (FRED DARLING S.)-G3, £60,000, Newbury, 4-13, 3yo, f, 7fT, 1:28.88, g/s.
1–DANDHU (GB), 126, f, 3, by Dandy Man (Ire)
1st Dam: Poldhu (GB), by Cape Cross (Ire)
2nd Dam: Magic Sister (GB), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB)
3rd Dam: Gunner's Belle (GB), by Gunner B (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (75,000gns Ylg '17 TAOCT). O-The Dandhu Partnership; B-Barton Bloodstock (GB); T-David Elsworth; J-Gerald Mosse. £34,026. Lifetime Record: 5-2-1-0, $88,386. *1/2 to Maid A Million (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}), SP-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Iconic Choice (GB), 126, f, 3, Sixties Icon (GB)–Adorable Choice (Ire), by Choisir (Aus). (€4,500 RNA Ylg '17 TATIAS). O/B-John Brown (GB); T-Tom Dascombe. £12,900.
3–So Perfect, 126, f, 3, Scat Daddy–Hopeoverexperience, by Songandaprayer. ($400,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Machmer Hall (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien. £6,456.
Margins: NO, NO, 3/4. Odds: 8.00, 7.00, 4.50.
Also Ran: Star Terms (GB), Queen Jo Jo (GB), Modern Millie (GB), Gypsy Spirit (GB), Muchly (GB), Stay Classy (Ire), Roxy Art (Ire), Dutch Treat (GB), Dancing Vega (Ire), Yourtimeisnow (GB), Glass Slippers (GB), Madame Tantzy (GB). Scratched: Come On Leicester (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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