Passenger and Ryan Moore prevail at Newmarket

Betfred Derby reaction: Passenger to be given break

By Simon Milham

Horse Racing

Tue June 06, 2023 · 3y ago

Passenger, who disappointed in finishing 12th of the 14 runners in the Betfred Derby on Saturday, will be given a break by Sir Michael Stoute.

Supplemented at a cost of £85,000 just days before the Classic on the strength of a luckless run when a close-up third in the Dante at York, Richard Kingscote was never at ease aboard the 8/1 shot.

Bidding to give the trainer and jockey a second success in the blue riband in as many years after Desert Crown’s victory last June, the son of Ulysses was keen early and did not see out the mile-and-a-half trip, which he was trying for the first time.

A late developer, he saw the racecourse for the first time in April, scampering to a three-length victory in the Wood Ditton, a maiden over mile at Newmarket. Passenger, owned by the Niarchos family, made a taking debut when scoring in a mile maiden at Newmarket on April 20.

He was withdrawn from the Dee Stakes at Chester due to heavy ground so connections paid £14,000 to supplement the colt into the Group Two Dante, where he was keen early on and had his path blocked when attempting to mount a challenge approaching two furlongs out. Now with three runs in the space of 45 days, connections are keen to give him more time to develop before bringing him back, starting over a shorter trip.

The Niarchos family’s racing manager, Alan Cooper, said: “It was unfortunate he used up a lot of energy going up the hill and he was a bit free, so emptied out coming down and that was that, unfortunately. We don’t know why he did, but he did.

“It is hard to know why. One goes forward and we can’t re-do the race. He’ll have a nice break and see what Sir Michael would like to do. The horse has had a very quick career with three races since mid-April, so we will give him a nice break and freshen him up, then look at a suitable 10-furlong race and take it from there.

“He is a late-maturing horse and we hope he will develop as he matures. A lot of people will be re-grouping after Saturday. I think there were a lot of good horses in the race. Every Derby is a good Derby in terms of winners.”

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