Jim Crowley© Photo Healy Racing
Tabdeed rewarded the perseverance and patience of Owen Burrows in taking his career to new heights with a battling success in the bet365 Hackwood Stakes at Newbury.
The talented but fragile five-year-old finally came of age — on what was just his eighth start — to secure the biggest victory of his career when going one better than his return at Newcastle in the Group Three contest.
Having been anchored at the rear of the field early on, the Havana Gold gelding came with a sustained run close to the stands rail under Jim Crowley before getting up to deny multiple Group One winner and fellow 4-1 joint-favourite The Tin Man a first victory in almost two years by half a length.
Lambourn trainer Burrows said: “He has always threatened and promised to have a good race in him. I was happy enough with that first run at Newcastle. It didn’t quite pan out how we wanted, but today there was loads of pace.
“I was a little bit worried where Jim was, but they went very quick and that is what he loves. It is great to get a nice race into him. He was strong at the end and took a bit of pulling up. Jim said this would be as quick as he would want it.”
A first outing at Group One level will now come under consideration for Tabdeed, with Burrows earmarking the Sprint Cup at Haydock in September as a potential target.
He said: “I wouldn’t want it too soft, as he disappointed in the Bengough on very soft ground. That was the only thing we could put down for such a disappointing run.
“Hopefully if it is good, good to soft we can kick on. He is five now and hasn’t got many miles on the clock. Dare I say it, but since he has been gelded he has been easier to train so fingers crossed he is all right in the morning and we can keep planning.
“We would not want to get too carried away yet, but it is nice to get a Group Three in him.”
Although The Tin Man had to settle for second best, his trainer James Fanshawe was delighted with his effort in defeat — with all roads now leading back to a fifth outing in the Sprint Cup via a possible trip to Deauville for the Prix Maurice de Gheest.
Fanshawe said: “I thought he was coming to win his race and Jim was going very well close to the rail and he won fair and square. It was really good to see The Tin Man coming back to his best again. At home if he hadn’t been showing the right signs at home he would have been retired, but he is loving it at home.
“I think he was a bit rusty at Ascot as he hadn’t run before and he has run really well today. We will look forward to the rest of the season now.
“We will go to Haydock all being well as quite often it is slow ground at Haydock, which suits him. I will see what the spacing is like as there is also the Maurice de Gheest at Deauville.”
