Jim Gorman is planning a raid on the two Group Three races at Newbury this weekend with Cobourg Lodge and Dragon Triumph. Gorman, based at Brownstown on the Curragh, sends Cobourg Lodge to take on some decent juveniles in the Horris Hills Stakes tomorrow and Dragon Triumph contests the St Simon Stakes the following day.
He made his decision to send them over after working both colts yesterday morning. "The two go and Kevin Manning rides Cobourg Lodge on Friday and Saturday's jockey hasn't been determined yet," he said. "We've got two meetings over here so we'll be ringing around trying to find someone suitable from England."
Cobourg Lodge won a valuable nursery at Naas two weeks ago and had previously been placed in a listed race and finished sixth to Mus-If in the Group One National Stakes at the Curragh.
If nothing else the son of Unblest has proved durable having won the first race of the Irish Flat season in March. "He's as tough as nails and he's a very easy horse to train but we're not too hard on him at home and he only works just before he runs," explained Gorman.
It was Dragon Triumph who gave Gorman his biggest success in 10 seasons with a licence when he won the Ulster Derby at Down Royal in July, and followed that up with other solid performances most recently when sixth to Kayf Tara in the Irish St Leger last month.
"I wouldn't say he was right going into the Leger," Gorman said. "He's beaten Sunshine Street and Star Begonia off levels so he's a decent horse but as to how good he really is I don't think we've got to the depth of him and is probably better than his form suggests."
Assessing the relative chances of his pair improving on that performance Gorman favours Cobourg Lodge. "I think Cobourg Lodge has the better chance because that race might break up to a small field and the St Simon looks very hot. Dragon Triumph will be up against it but we'll see."
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