Alenquer set himself up for a big 2022 campaign as he lowered the 10-furlong course record in the Gr3 Betway Winter Derby at Lingfield Park on Saturday afternoon.
Last season’s Gr1 Juddmonte International runner-up was making his first appearance since October in a deep field that included dual G1 winner Lord North, who was returning after almost a year off the track, and Listed Betway Winter Derby Trial victor Fancy Man.
Sent off an 11/4 chance under Cieren Fallon, Alenquer tracked front-runner Al Zaraqaan, with 6/5 favourite Lord North and Fancy Man following in midfield of the seven runners.
Alenquer made his move passing the three-furlong pole and the William Haggas-trained four-year-old opened up a length advantage at the top of the home straight as Lord North switched to the outside and Fancy Man spied a run down the inner rail.
Fancy Man briefly got within half a length but neither rival was able to lay down a serious challenge to Alenquer, who pulled clear to win by two and a half lengths in a time of 2m 0.51s. Lord North was second, with Fancy Man a length further back in third.
Maureen Haggas said: “Alenquer is a pretty solid horse with pretty solid form and Lord North had been off for a long time. The only thing that concerned me was the trip on this track. He has good form over a mile and a quarter but this is a sharp track.
“Having said that, he was quick into his stride and was able to get himself a good position. He wasn’t pretty coming down the hill and was a bit unbalanced, so for him to win like that having found the track a challenge bodes well.
“I think he may have been more ready than we thought because he wasn’t blowing much afterwards. The guy who rides Alenquer at home every day Jason Favell does an unbelievable job because he is not an easy ride – you would not believe how badly behaved he is at home compared to how he behaves at the races. The performance the horse has put in today is all down to Jason.
“Alenquer will head for the Dubai Sheema Classic next, all being well. He was second to Mishriff at York and deserves to have a crack at a race like that.”
Fallon said: “That was straightforward. Alenquer jumped well and was able to get a nice position up there. Hollie [Doyle] was going a nice enough gallop [on Al Zaraqaan] into the first bend, so I was able to sit off her and let my mount get comfortable on the track.
“When Hollie tried to take a breather, I wanted to keep the pressure on, just to make sure it was an out-and-out gallop because this horse stays a mile and a half. This is a tight track and I did not want it to be a sprint at the end.
“As you saw coming around the home bend, he was so unorganised and was running out a bit, but he found his feet in the straight and won like a good horse.
“He had a racecourse gallop at Southwell two weeks ago and we knew coming here that this run would bring him on. He doesn’t look like he has had much of a race but he should take a step forward from this.”
Alenquer wins the Betway Winter Derby (credit: Mark Cranham)
Elsewhere on the card, trainer Scott Dixon celebrated his first Stakes winner with 17/2 shot One Night Stand in the Listed Betway Hever Sprint.
Hollie Doyle’s mount led from pillar to post in the five-furlong contest, holding off the challenge of Mondammej inside the final furlong to score by a neck.
This was One Night Stand’s third win at Lingfield Park this season following a pair of handicap victories over six furlongs in December and January. The five-year-old also finished fifth in the Listed Betway Kachy Stakes at the track earlier this month.
Dixon said: “One Night Stand ran a class race in the Kachy Stakes from a bad draw when they swamped him late on – and we felt he had to use plenty to get over from that draw.
“The owners were mad keen to go for this. They looked through the race and said, ‘let’s have a go’. He was entered in the class two handicap later on the card, so we weighed up the pros and cons and it has worked out perfectly.
“This is by far his best ever run and opens up more doors for us. All the horse has done is improve and hopefully we can keep it going to see where the ceiling is. The fact he has done that a shade cosily in a decent field begins to get you excited, doesn’t it?
“The Sprint final is over a stiff six at Newcastle and, whether that will be his thing, I don’t think it will be if I am honest. Naturally, we would love it if the finals were still here! He loves going around a bend and loves the downhill section.
“We don’t need to do too much with him now on the All-Weather as there is no reason why he can’t be just as good on the turf. We will have a look at those good handicaps and maybe even Listed races.”
