Champions Series Dark Horses – Dubai Warrior

Has John Gosden got another Derby contender on his hands in Dubai Warrior? Picture: Steven Cargill / Racingfotos.com

Horse: DUBAI WARRIOR

Trainer: John Gosden. Form: 1

John Gosden is not averse to starting some of his best prospects on the all-weather.

After all, Enable began her career on the Polytrack over a mile at Newcastle in 2016 less than a month before Christmas.

Do not be deterred then that the career of Dubai Warrior was launched at Chelmsford, again over a mile, in November of last year.

Like Enable before him, he won in great style – hitting the front over a furlong out after racing in mid-division and winning with ease by four-and-a-half lengths.

Exactly what he beat is hard to gauge (the fourth home has since won by a wide margin) but he won in great style and clock watchers were drooling over the figures he clocked in the closing stages.

The Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum-owned colt is certainly bred to be above average, being by Dansili out of a dam who won at Grade 1 level in South Africa.

His brother, Mootasadir, in training with Hugo Palmer, won a Group 3 race at Dundalk when last seen in action and has shown himself to be fully effective at up to 11 furlongs, at least on an artificial surface.

There is no reason why Dubai Warrior will not also stay middle distances and, in excellent hands, he looks one to keep a close eye on.

Only Bet365 quote him for the QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 4 – they make him 33/1 – but plenty of firms have him on their radars for the Investec Derby. Boylesports offer him at a standout 20/1 for Epsom on June 1.