Alparslan emerged as a serious 2000 Guineas prospect after a surprise victory in the Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes at Newbury. Market attention had centered on Aidan O’Brien’s Albert Einstein and Eve Johnson Houghton’s Group One winner Zavateri, but Karl Burke’s colt took advantage of a positive ride from Clifford Lee to lead and refuse to yield. Sent off at 9-1, Alparslan fended off late challenges to win by a length, with Zavateri finishing strongly into second despite being hampered in running and Albert Einstein a further place back in third.
Burke said the performance suggested the colt had been flying under the radar. A winner of a valuable juvenile sales race in Ireland, Alparslan had been beaten by Zavateri in the Dewhurst and left that race feeling sore, with Burke admitting the Dewhurst track’s undulations may have affected him. He described the horse as a big, heavy, gawky type and said questions remain about whether a flat, galloping track like Longchamp would suit him better than others, and whether a mile is his optimum trip. Still, Burke felt the Greenham answered most doubts and said the performance resolved about 90 percent of the concerns, leaving Classic targets firmly on the agenda.
Zavateri, who had been one of last season’s standouts before finishing fourth in the Dewhurst, did little to dent his reputation with a solid second. Johnson Houghton described him as brave; he had been a touch fresh and suffered some congestion of running when Ryan Moore had to restrain Albert Einstein, but his finish was encouraging. Connections will decide next week whether to head to the British or Irish 2000 Guineas, with France considered the least likely option.
For Coolmore’s Albert Einstein, who finished third, distance emerged as the principal talking point. Kevin Buckley called the race a muddling affair but felt the colt ran well and gained experience, noting that Ryan Moore would confer with Aidan O’Brien and the owners before plotting the next move. Buckley also said Albert Einstein appeared happier back on this surface and that the team would reflect overnight before committing to a route.
At the same meeting, Jack Channon’s Sukanya produced a dramatic late surge to deny Touleen in the Dubai Duty Free Stakes for fillies. Sent off at 16-1 after a couple of disappointing runs since a promising juvenile season, Sukanya was held at the rear by David Probert before unleashing a powerful turn of foot to overhaul the 5-4 favourite Touleen and win by three-quarters of a length. Channon praised her class and speed and said he would consider supplementing her for the 1000 Guineas, with the Irish 1,000 Guineas his first instinct but Newmarket still an option depending on discussions with the owners. Touleen’s trainer Owen Burrows felt the filly may simply have been a bit rusty and reported no major concerns about her action, keeping Guineas options open if she comes through the race well.
Convergent provided another highlight for Karl Burke and Clifford Lee, rallying through traffic to claim the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Stakes, run as the John Porter Stakes, at Newbury. Facing a competitive field that had been mentioned as a possible engagement for other top stayers, the 4-1 shot was delivered to the front at the right moment by Lee and held on for a snug success. Lee, returning to big-race duties after recovering from a serious quadbike accident, described the result as emotional and credited the horse’s engine for getting them out of a tricky position when the field swung.
Burke sees Group One potential in Convergent and outlined summer targets that could include the Coronation Cup and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, believing the colt may develop into one of their best over staying trips if he stays sound and progresses. The Newbury victories by Alparslan, Sukanya and Convergent offered compelling evidence that all three camps have horses with serious ambitions for the Classic and middle-distance summer programme.