Duke Of Oxford continued his fine record at Kempton Park as he won the Unibet London Series Stayers’ Final Handicap for a third consecutive year.
Trained by Michael Bell, the five-year-old made good headway down the centre of the track under Hector Crouch and asserted in the closing stages to beat Caprelo by a length and a half.
Now a five-time winner at the Sunbury-on-Thames course, Duke Of Oxford has also scored at Chelmsford and Wolverhampton as well as finishing second and fourth in the past two editions of the Marathon final at Newcastle. The Marathon final will be renamed the Midnite Easter Plate from next year.
Co-owner Brandon Roberts said: “Duke Of Oxford absolutely loves Kempton. Whenever we bring him here, he steps off the lorry, has a look around and says, ‘this is gameday’. To do this for the third year in a row is unbelievable. What a star.
“He is not the easiest to keep sound – he is a scratchy mover – so Michael and his team have done an unbelievable job. Michael said to us that the horse was in rude order. He knew he had him bang on, while Hector gets on so well with him. It was all in place for him to shine and he has blown them away.
“This track suits him and there are not a huge number of races for him. You go to the big races at Newcastle like the Marathon final and the Northumberland Plate; they are so competitive and he does not get on quite as well at Newcastle as he does here.
“Duke Of Oxford is a rockstar. Who wouldn’t love to own a horse like that? He puts it all in every time – and every jockey who gets off him says they absolutely love him. Everyone at home loves him. He is like our pet. We love him to bits.”
Holloway Boy produced a tenacious performance in the Listed Unibet Hyde Stakes at the same track, with the five-year-old fending off recent course scorer Chancellor by a neck. Karl Burke’s winner will now campaign in Dubai, where he produced three strong performances in Group company last winter.
Burke may have a Midnite Easter Classic contender following Antrim’s successful front-running debut for the stable in a 10-furlong handicap at Newcastle. Having changed hands for 130,000 guineas in October, the three-year-old has gone up 6lb to 88 and could take in Newcastle’s AWC Trials Day next month.
Morrophore overcame a wide trip and top weight for John & Thady Gosden as she motored home to land the BetMGM Winter Oaks Trial at Lingfield Park. Following an interrupted year, the daughter of Kingman looks sure to improve again heading into the BetMGM Winter Oaks on January 17.
No Lunch continues to cultivate an air of invincibility on the all-weather in France as the four-year-old easily defied a penalty in the Listed Prix Luthier at Deauville. Christophe Ferland’s runner has captured both legs of the sprint/mile Polytrack Challenge this season and will look to complete the set in the Listed Prix Saonois at Cagnes-sur-Mer in February.
Willie Mullins appears to have a legitimate Finals Day contender following Gaucher’s six-length success in a 12-furlong handicap at Dundalk. Making only his second start on the Flat since joining the champion trainer, the son of Frankel is a multiple Graded winner over hurdles and has been raised 11lb to 101.
Stephen Thorne added another string to his Finals Day bow at the same Dundalk meeting as Instant Appeal doubled up in a mile handicap. Now rated 88, the son of Advertise may drop back to seven furlongs in the new year before taking up an engagement at Newcastle or Lingfield Park on Good Friday.
