New Approach's Telecaster Too Hot In the Dante

As is generally the case where York's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. is concerned, there was some serious Derby reckoning on Thursday as Too Darn Hot (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) surrendered his unbeaten record to Telecaster (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) and any thoughts of a tilt at the blue riband in the process. While John Gosden was talking of Royal Ascot and the G1 St James's Palace S. in the aftermath for the Lloyd-Webbers' juvenile champion, Hughie Morrison was trying his best to be sensible as he pondered a supplementary entry for the June 1 Classic for the Meon Valley Stud homebred winner. Telegraphing his raw ability with a nine-length success in a 10-furlong Windsor maiden Apr. 15, Telecaster who races for the Castle Down Racing syndicate tracked Too Darn Hot's stablemate Turgenev (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) way ahead of the remainder from the outset under Oisin Murphy. Earning the lead passing the two-furlong pole, he was threatened by the even-money favourite inside the last furlong but stayed on best to prevail by a length, with four lengths back to Surfman (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in a renewal every bit as strong as looked likely beforehand.

Taken out of the Derby in March, Telecaster would need to be added back in “Kris Kin” style and therefore Morrison was not jumping in to an instant commitment. “He's obviously a very good horse, but the Derby is only 16 days away and so we'll have to see how he is,” he said of the 7-1 shot, who if allowed to run in the blue riband will join the stud's Oaks-bound Anapurna (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the trip to Epsom. “We always thought that he had an incredible cruising speed and it was his strength that kept him going. I thought he'd gone too quick and wouldn't get home–he had to beat Turgenev first and was being stalked by the favourite–but it looked as if we outstayed him.”

Gosden was categoric about Too Darn Hot's next destination, leaving the Derby almost a Hughie Morrison vs Ballydoyle affair. “They set an even pace and Frankie was settling him, but he was strong and pulling being fresh on his first run of the year,” he said. “He had those two weeks walking and the lack of a race beforehand, but stamina told in the end. We came for a trial and an answer and that is very clearly that we'll freshen him up and go for the [June 18] St James's Palace at Royal Ascot.”

Telecaster, who was second on debut to the subsequent G3 Sandown Classic Trial winner Bangkok (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in a Doncaster maiden also at this trip, is the second foal out the stable's G1 Epsom and Irish Oaks runner-up Shirocco Star (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}) who was also third in the G1 Pretty Polly S. and runner-up in the G2 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. and G2 Prix de Royallieu. Buyers had an opportunity to snap him up at the 2017 Tattersalls October Book 1 Sale, but none were willing to stretch beyond 180,000gns so the famous Hampshire establishment took him back into their fold. Ironically, Shirocco Star's first foal is the 4-year-old gelding Starcaster (GB) (Dansili {GB}) who won easily for the Jedd O'Keefe yard in the meeting's closing 12-furlong handicap on Wednesday and it is safe to say that staying ability where the Derby trip is concerned is a cast-iron certainty.

Stamina was the stumbling block for Oisin Murphy when Roaring Lion (Kitten's Joy) faded to be third at Epsom last year, but he was on a different type of animal here and was keen to exploit it. “I was able to use the pacemaker to my advantage and being by a Derby winner out of an Oaks second if he was in his comfort zone he was going to stay,” he said after dominating the likes of a GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner in Line of Duty (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a G2 Beresford S. winner in Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and a TDN Rising Star in Turgenev. “After I rode him at Windsor I thought he was very special.” Jockey reaction was also key for the placed horses. “Too much pace,” Frankie quipped of the beaten favourite. “It was too far for him, bless him. He pulled very hard for the first four furlongs, I got him to relax and he made up some ground but the last furlong was a long way. Back to a mile.” Andrea Atzeni said of Surfman, “He ran a good race, travelled well and stayed on well.”

Shirocco Star, whose 2-year-old colt by Dubawi (Ire) was bought for 1.1million gns by Stroud Coleman Bloodstock at last year's Tattersalls October Sale, is out of a half-sister to the G3 Tetrarch S. winner and G1 Irish 2000 Guineas runner-up France (GB) (Desert Prince {Ire}) and the listed scorer Hippy Hippy Shake (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). Her upwardly-mobile daughter Twist 'n' Shake (GB) (Kingman {GB}) was an impressive recent maiden winner herself and runs in the stud's Helena Springfield silks in Friday's Listed Michael Seeley Memorial Fillies' S. over a mile here. They descend from one of the operation's foundation mares Reprocolor (GB) (Jimmy Reppin {GB}), who has had a runner in the Derby in Alessandro Volta (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}), Ballydoyle's G3 Lingfield Derby Trial winner who was sixth behind Telecaster's sire in 2008.

Thursday, York, Britain
AL BASTI EQUIWORLD DUBAI DANTE S.-G2, £165,000, York, 5-16, 3yo, 10f 56yT, 2:10.24, g/f.
1–TELECASTER (GB), 126, c, 3, by New Approach (Ire)
1st Dam: Shirocco Star (GB) (MG1SP-Ire, G1SP-Eng & GSP-Fr, $485,970), by Shirocco (Ger)
2nd Dam: Spectral Star (GB), by Unfuwain
3rd Dam: Hyperspectra (GB), by Rainbow Quest
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (180,000gns RNA Ylg '17 TATOCT). O-Castle Down Racing; B-Meon Valley Stud (GB); T-Hugh Morrison; J-Oisin Murphy. £93,572. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $126,573. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Too Darn Hot (GB), 126, c, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Dar Re Mi (GB), by Singspiel (Ire). O-Lord Lloyd-Webber; B-Watership Down stud (GB); T-John Gosden. £35,475.
3–Surfman (GB), 126, c, 3, Kingman (GB)">Kingman (GB)–Shimmering Surf (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). (140,000gns RNA Ylg '17 TATOCT). O/B-Peter Winkworth (GB); T-Roger Varian. £17,754.
Margins: 1, 4, 3/4. Odds: 7.00, 1.00, 5.00.
Also Ran: Japan (GB), Turgenev (GB), Nayef Road (Ire), Line of Duty (Ire), Almania (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.