Legendary trainer John Leeper Dunlop honoured with Frankel-Snow Fairy debutant

In terms of hitting sweet spots when it comes to favourite horses of recent times, Frankel and Snow Fairy would be on several lists, and the produce of the 2017 mating between those two greats leads a host of interesting newcomers on Friday.

The Anamoine Ltd homebred has a name to match his regal parents as he has been called John Leeper, as in, the late great trainer Dunlop.

He is trained by his son Ed - also Snow Fairy’s trainer of course - and is set for his first appearance in the Gary Reid Memorial Maiden (4.15) at Doncaster, tackling nine others including half a dozen who are also making their debut.

John Leeper’s half-sister Virgin Snow is also trained by Dunlop and is owned and was bred by Anamoine. She has won a handicap and finished runner-up in a Group 3 this year, among four starts.

John Leeper will be partnered by William Buick.

Team Snow Fairy with the great mare at Ed Dunlop's La Grange Stables in NewmarketCredit: Edward Whitaker

Among his rivals and also making their racecourse debuts are Shalaa’s son Cordouan and The Gurkha’s son Taravara, both trained by John Gosden.

The latter was the pricier of the two, being a €300,000 buy from last year’s Goffs Orby yearling sale for the China Horse Club. Whether jockey bookings give anything away is uncertain, with Nicky Mackay on Taravara and Adam Kirby on his stablemate.

Tromso, in the colours of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, is a half-brother to five winners and makes his debut for Kevin Ryan in a maiden well worth watching at the close of the third day of the St Leger meeting.

Five newcomers are among the final decorations for the British Stallion Stud EBF Novice Stakes (2.00) at Sandown, including Set Point, a 220,000gns purchase from Tattersalls October Book 1 last year.

The juvenile is by Sea The Stars out of Listed-placed winner Hot Sauce - her first foal - and will carry the silks of John Livock for trainer Hugo Palmer.

Among his rivals is Godolphin homebred Toromona, by Shamardal and a half-brother to three winners.

Richard Hannon runs a handful of newcomers on Friday, including unsurprisingly at his local track Salisbury, but perhaps the debutant of chief interest in the first division of the Radcliffe & Co Novice Stakes (3.25) is Group 3 winner Altyn Orda’s half-brother Albanman.

A homebred of Nurlan Bizakov’s Hesmonds Stud, Albanka’s latest runner, by Lawman, is due to face ten rivals for Roger Varian, with Jack Mitchell booked.

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