GOING FOR GGOLD

Group 3 wins set Ascot goal for Dee Ex Bee

BRACE of wins in two of the Cup winner and last year’s one of four stable entries fresh from his Chester triumph, and another run here.” A traditional trials for the Gold Leger winner, Kew Gardens, together with for the race that year, ran Austrian School, the The Sagaro Stakes at Ascot on May 1 Cup during May have seen Dee Dee Ex Bee. the race of his life to Musselburgh Queen’s Cup had a field of seven. The Irish St Leger Ex Bee confirmed as a major challenger to The event is run over a distance just 10 land the 2002 renewal winner who had found third, Weekender, was joined by Scottish for next month’s Gold Cup at yards short of two and a half miles. For from . conditions on the Roodee Hurdle winner Verdana Blue Royal Ascot. Dee Ex Bee, that will be new territory, but This year’s just too gruelling last time and Cup Stayers’ winner, Cleonte. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed’s Farrh his May races suggest he will be up for the renewal of the out. Sir Michael Stoute’s took the ride on Dee Ex colt finished runner-up to Masar in last challenge. race, run over Mekong, twice a winner Bee, who was running for the first time year’s Derby, and was also Group 1-placed Like the Gold Cup itself, Mark has two miles and over a mile and three since finishing third in the Grosser Preis when finishing third behind Kew Gardens enjoyed three previous wins in the Henry II 50 yards, quarters, looked a tough von Bayern at Munich on November 1. in the Grand Prix de . Stakes at Sandown. Although established attracted a field nut to crack. chose to make the These Group 1 credentials mark Dee Ex only in 1963, and named after Henry II, as of just five running on Weekender, and William Buick Bee out as the yard’s leading contender for he apparently established a priory on the runners. Dee Ex asked Dee Ex Bee to soon settled Dee Ex Bee, travelling staying honours since and present day site of Sandown Park, the race Bee was joined make all the running and strongly in second. Turning for home, Dee Royal Rebel (twice) landed Gold Cup has long since been regarded as a Gold in the race by grabbed the rail from the Ex Bee moved up to challenge Weekender honours for the yard in 1995, 2001 and Cup trial. stablemates start, followed by Austrian and took the lead. Raymond Tusk and 2002 respectively. The race currently enjoys Group 3 Making School on his outer, Mekong Cleonte both tried to challenge the Farhh He started May in fine style with a status, but was previously a Group 2. Miracles, on the rail, Making Miracles on colt, but Dee Ex Bee stayed on really stylish success in the Sagaro Stakes at Double Trigger took the race in 1995 en the outer and Fearsome at the rear of strongly in the closing stages to score by Ascot, then followed up with victory in the route to Gold Cup triumph, and won the the field. The order remained unchanged three and a quarter lengths from Raymond Henry II Stakes at Sandown three weeks 1996 renewal for good measure. Akbar, until the straight, when Austrian School Tusk. later. was asked by Joe Fanning to close the gap Mark was delighted to see the horse Arguably, the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot on Dee Ex Bee. back in the winner’s enclosure and was is the most prestigious event for staying Producing a display of relentless quick to correct those pundits who had horses in Europe. Worth over £280,000 to galloping, Dee Ex Bee refused to give best attacked the horse’s form in the latter part the winner, the race was established in and stayed on strongly to score by a length of 2018. 1807. This year’s race is set to be a vintage and three-quarters from Mekong, who “Dee Ex Bee was beaten by some very renewal, with last year’s Weatherbys’ stayed on late to take second from Austrian good horses and mixed it at the very Hamilton Million winner, Stradivarius, School by a head. highest level,” Mark maintained. likely to face challenges from Melbourne Mark firmly believes that the extra four This year’s Gold Cup will take place on furlongs Dee Ex Bee will face at Ascot will June 20. It promises to be a cracker! suit the four-year-old. “It’s nothing but positive,” he told the Klarion. “The aim is to try to win the Gold Cup and if we wanted to do that, he needed

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