Distant Storm third in G1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes

Racenews
Racenews

Distant Storm emerged with plenty of credit on his first G1 appearance as he finished third behind Gewan and Gstaad in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes, the highlight of Newmarket’s Dubai Future Champions Festival, on Saturday, 11 October.

A debut winner on the July Course, Distant Storm had filled the same spot behind fellow Night Of Thunder colt Gewan in York’s G3 Acomb Stakes, in which he pulled hard, and was reopposing on the back of an impressive victory in the G3 Tattersalls Stakes.

The Charlie Appleby-trained juvenile was held up at the rear of a group of four that raced towards the stands’ side and found himself eighth overall when the nine-strong field converged at the halfway point.

William Buick switched down the stands’ rail approaching the final quarter-mile and found a seam over a furlong out, with Distant Storm quickening to press for third inside the final furlong.

Gewan had already kicked clear, despite drifting, and hit the line strongly to deny Gstaad by three-quarters of a length. Distant Storm kept on to edge out Zavateri and Oxagon for third in the closing strides, beaten just over two lengths in total.

Charlie Appleby said: “We decided to give Distant Storm one more run after the Acomb, when he did it all the wrong way round, but the way he won the Tattersalls Stakes naturally draws you into the Dewhurst picture and rightly so.

“I think today showed that he needs a break now. He was a breeze-up horse, so he has been on the go for a long time and it will be good to get another winter on his back.

“Distant Storm is definitely a Guineas horse. I said beforehand that whoever wins today will be favourite for the Guineas and we are not too far behind them. He will stay here during the winter in preparation for the Guineas.”