Epsom winner Alcarath looks one to keep in the notebook

September 29

Alan might have only nine two-year-olds, but apart from Futurity entry Spyce, who looked a potential Group horse when winning at Yarmouth, there are several other youngsters who could be above-average, including Deedaydiva, who coped admirably with soft ground when scoring a convincing success in a £40,000 fillies maiden at Sandown.

Deedaydiva, who besides looking to be able to boast plenty of ability, has a great mind and has always worked well in the mornings, so Alan is thinking about dipping her toes into deeper waters with a tilt at the G3 Oh So Sharp Stakes at Newmarket next week.

The long-range forecast for HQ suggests that we won’t need our rain coats for their Dubai Future Champions meeting, but Deedaydiva had looked equally at home on fast ground when a promising third on her debut on the July Course, so underfoot conditions ought not be a problem.

However, we might also have an exciting three-year-old in the Barbury camp in Alcarath, who carried Alan’s own colours to victory at Epsom on Sunday.

John Gosden’s Windsor winner Gamrai started 4-1 on for that 10f novice, but Alcarath, granted receiving 7lb, made short work of the favourite. making virtually all the running and pulling right away in the final furlong for an eight and a half lengths success.

Alan could see last year that Alcarath would need plenty of time, so wrote off any ideas of running him as a juvenile and had him gelded    in October.

The patient policy has reaped dividends for after two highly promising runs at Kempton and Salisbury, Alcarath had learned plenty by the time he got to Epsom, and Rossa Ryan, who rode him on the Surrey Downs, was suitably impressed.

He said:”I wasn’t looking to make the running, Oisin (Murphy) did not look as if he was going to do on the favourite, so, being as it was only a five-runner race, I seized the option.

“Alcarath is a big horse, but he was very composed up in front. He is still very raw for a three-year-old, but he could have a big future in some of those good handicaps.”

Though Alcarath is by Acclamation, a sire predominately associated with sprinters, Alan stressed that he was never worried about stepping up from what was a mile at Salisbury.

He added:”In my eyes a mile and a quarter was never going to be a problem. So Alcarath is by Acclamation, but then so is Romantic Warrior, who has been Hong Kong’s champions horse over 10 furlongs for the last three years and was only beaten a nose in the Dubai Turf at Meydan in April.

“Alcarath is still a big baby with plenty to learn, but he is one to look forward to for next year, whether he has one more run this season with a penalty or not,”