Barbury Castle trainer Alan King's exciting Flat prospect: Tritonic wins at Newbury - a Derby prospect?
Oisin Murphy & Tritonic head out for the startAlan King, who enjoyed one of his biggest days over jumps at Newbury when saddling Smad Place to win the 2014 Ladbrokes Trophy, could look forward to having his first runner in a Group 1 on the flat after Tritonic captured the 39th running of the Haynes, Hanson & Clark Stakes on Friday (September 20).
While training at his Barbury Castle yard for the jumps remains King’s primary source of success, operating a small Flat string has proved rewarding for King who relished Tritonic’s victory over Man Of The Night and the odds-on Cape Palace to land a race renowned as a breeding ground of future Derby winners.
Tritonic, owned by well known jumps owner Max McNeill with Ian Dale, stayed on strongly under Oisin Murphy to win by a length and a half and could now take up his entry in the Group 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy at Doncaster.
Tritonic wins well (Photo: Newbury Racecourse)
King was obviously delighted with Tritonic's win: “I’m actually a bit shocked, but we’ve always loved him. He won well at Ffos Las but the form hasn’t worked out. I hoped I wasn’t going to be embarrassed by running him in this. He has won with his ears pricked."
“We probably haven’t had a two-year-old quite like this before so it’s exciting. I told Oisin he had one flash entry in the Vertem Futurity and he said that’s his race if we want to run him again."
Oisin Murphy & Alan King after Tritonic's victory 
Alan King talking to the press
“I don’t think I’ve had a runner in a Group 1 on the Flat before so this is lovely. We have been working on this for quite some time buying at the breeze-ups. I have 14 two-year-olds and we keep building away, but don’t worry, I’m still a jumps trainer.”
Treble top for Marlborough trainer Richard Hannon
Richard Hannon, whose prolific form this season at Newbury has included a five-timer in August, registered three wins on the first day of the Dubai Duty Free International Weekend. The highlight of the treble came from a second win in the Listed Dubai Duty Free Cup for Tabarrak.
Tabarrak under Jim Crowley (Photo: Newbury Racecourse)
Having twice been on the end of defeats by Salute The Soldier in valuable handicaps, Tabarrak turned the tables at the third attempt as he comfortably held off Sir Thomas Gresham. Salute The Soldier was third.
“[Tabarrak] deserved that,” said Hannon. “I think there is a Group 3 in him. He’s been lightly raced this year. He is three for three now at Newbury. He won his maiden here four years ago and this race in 2017. He is just coming good now and is almost remote control.”
Tabarrak took Hannon’s score at Newbury to 14 for the season after earlier wins for Theotherside - owned by West Brom striker Charlie Austin - in division one of the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes and Separate in the Dubai Duty Free Nursery in the Mums Tipple colours.
Quadrilateral becomes new favourite for QIPCO 1,000 Guineas after nine-length romp
Wide margin victories by two-year-olds are in vogue after filly Quadrilateral, ridden by Newbury Racecourse ambassador Jason Watson, took the Dubai Duty Free Full Of Surprises British EBF Fillies’ Conditions Stakes by nine lengths. She was immediately promoted to the head of the betting for next year’s 1,000 Guineas.
Quadrilateral well clear under Jason Watson (Photo: Newbury Racecourse)
Quadrillateral, a daughter of Frankel trained at Beckhampton by Roger Charlton, pulled right away from Kalsara and favourite Melnikova to register her second win at Newbury Racecourse. She is now 12-1 favourite with Ladbrokes for next year’s fillies’ Classic.
Charlton was impressed by her win: “You don’t see many horses win by nine lengths. I hoped she would win. Her work has been very good and she has matured a lot."
"When she came here and won before she did it on her ability. She wasn’t fully fit and she wasn’t that experienced so we knew there was better to come. She ought to run again as it’s important to get black type. She is in the Prix Marcel Boussac; she is not in the Fillies’ Mile but she could be if supplemented.”
Charlton and his stable jockey Jason Watson had earlier landed the second division of two-year-old maiden with Smokey Bear.