Winter Derby Stakes preview: Rab Havlin backs Lord North to eclipse Lingfield rivals on Saturday | Race News

Lord North is the star attraction as he kicks off his 2023 marketing campaign within the £100,000 Group Three BetUK Winter Derby at Lingfield on Saturday, stay on Sky Sports activities Racing.

12 months in the past the three-time Group 1 winner chased down Alenquer in a high-quality 10-stadium contest renewal, with Lord North subsequently warming up with Panthalassa within the Dubai Turf.

Lord North, who leads three runners for John and Thady Gosden, has been sidelined since ending fourth behind Vadeni within the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown Park in July.

Seven-year-old jockey Robert Havlin mentioned: “Lord North seems to be actually good. I’ve ridden him in his final two works and I feel he is somewhat livelier than he was final yr. final.

“We’re utilizing him once more as preparation for the Dubai Turf, however I am hoping for an actual huge race. He is simply feeling a bit extra excited than he was this time final yr.

“We took him to Chelmsford lately for a day trip. He did not canter however did a pleasant canter and that may have accomplished him good mentally greater than something.

“He’s now seven years previous and may be fairly lazy at house, however his work has actually been a bit brighter. He’s by far the perfect horse within the race and hopefully he can present that.”

The Gosdens have a robust hand because the group goals for a fourth victory within the final 5 editions of the race, with Lord of the North joined by the winner of 2021 Forest of Dean And harrovian.

South African jockey Collen Storey grabbed headlines after guiding Forest Of Dean to a decisive victory in a Quick-Observe Qualifier at Newcastle in January, a race wherein Harrovian completed third.

Storey, who moved to Newmarket in October 2021 after using 222 winners in his native nation, mentioned: “Forest Of Dean is superb on his personal. I sat on him once more this morning and he had somewhat little bit of freshness in him. I truly suppose he comes from Newcastle a bit.

« Rab [Havlin] rode it fairly useful after they received the Winter Derby a number of years in the past, whereas at Newcastle I dropped it off and it flew after I took it out. It was spectacular how he accelerated.

“I received a Stakes race in Zimbabwe with a filly known as Raven Woman and likewise positioned in a number of different Stakes races. It is powerful to race in these huge races and I am very enthusiastic about this chance. Dangerous luck, hopefully we are able to pull it off.

“After profitable over Forest Of Dean at Newcastle I mentioned my purpose was to place collectively a gaggle winner right here. If I may tick that I’d like to see what the approaching yr may give me.”

The race is a fast-track qualification for the £200,000 Easter Traditional, with the type of the fruits of final season’s finale represented by the runner-up Tyrrhenian Sea (Roger Varian).

Lucandre makes a fast reappearance for George Baker after profitable a neighborhood Group Two in Bahrain final week, whereas Andrew Balding hopes gelding surgical procedure can rejuvenate the Group Three winner fox tales.

William Knight’s all-weather specialist king of the south and John Ryan gun full the sphere.

Tone The Barone prepared for the Hever take a look at

Elsewhere on the map, prolific sprinter Tone The Barone delivers his tenth all-time success for Stuart Williams within the Listed BetUK Hever Dash in 5 phases.

A aggressive roster additionally consists of Miss Nay By no means, John Quinn’s quickly enhancing filly, and David O’Meara’s Alligator Alley, who received three races on the spin earlier within the season.

Arecibo, educated by Robert Cowell, third within the Group Two Temple Stakes final yr, makes his first all-weather look since 2019, whereas Karl Burke’s Exalted Angel has a primary visor after ending third within the Listed BetUK Kachy Stakes.

Look Out Louis (Julie Camacho) and final yr’s One Night time Stand winner (Scott Dixon) are different names to notice.