Fantastic Finals Day!
Sat 08 Apr 2023
WINNER 18 OF 2023: DEAR MY FRIEND, trained by Charlie Johnston and ridden by James Doyle: The LISTED 'talkSPORT BURRADON STAKES' over 1m at Newcastle.
Making his seasonal reappearance, after a break of 181 days, he towered above his rivals in the paddock and you couldn't miss him in the stalls, as James Doyle sat taller than the others!
As the gates opened, he was hampered from both sides and had no choice but to settle towards the rear. Making headway in the centre of the group over 2f out, there wasn't much room to manoeuvre. At the 1 pole, there were five of them in a row across the track and as James asked him to quicken, he and Flight Plan pulled clear inside the final 110yds. He was headed but kept on well, to win by a neck.
"Dear My Friend is doing enough to win The Burradon Stakes." Watch the full race replay here: https://www.attheraces.com/racecard/Newcastle/07-April-2023/1315
After Charlie's interview shown above, James said in his Sky Sports Racing interview: "The plan wasn't to drop out that far, but we got squashed from either side. We got a nice draft into the race and he's got form at further and he did well.”
Timeform rated it as a rather nice, career best, t106 performance, saying: "After 6 months off, showed improved form to make it 3 from 6 in his career, arguably value a little extra too and looking a smart peformer in the making; bumped start, raced stand side, waited with, headway over 2f out, led final 50 yds, well on top finish; open to further improvement.”
See the official photo gallery here: https://www.grossick.co.uk/p/80532khg/C385529094/x1-dear-my-friend
Read the Racing Post story, here: https://www.racingpost.com/news/reports/epsom-is-the-plan-derby-dark-horse-enters-picture-to-leave-middleham-park-dreaming-aifQE7S6kmfw/
Syndicate manager Mike says: "We bought him for £40,000, at the Goffs Premier Yearling Sale and yesterday he picked up £52,000 for winning. He is such a big horse, who still managed to win twice at 2 and take a Listed 3rd and Group 3 3rd last year, so there is plenty of talent in that frame of his! It was lovely to be there with some of his owners yesterday, who were thrilled and this was Charlie's first Listed win since taking the sole training license. As you will have read in the above story in The Racing Post we have some big plans for him this season, but for now we will take in the joy of winning on Finals Day and adding to our prize money pot, which is looking very healthy already. Well done to Charlie and the team and Dear My Friend's owners."
Later on the Finals Day card at Newcastle SHOULDVEBEENARING ran a great race to take 2nd in the 3YO Championship Conditions Stakes and INCRIMINATION ran a career best to finish 2nd at Lingfield, taking our days race earnings over £110,000.