John Gosden: having the Winter Derby over a mile and three isn't a lot of help to Lord North

Lord North is on track to bid for a remarkable fourth straight win in the Group 1 Dubai Turf at Meydan in March, although his chances of repeating his prep win in the Winter Derby of 12 months ago may be compromised by a change to the race distance at its new home of Southwell.

The eight-year-old has not been sighted since landing the 1m1f contest at the expense of Danon Beluga in Dubai last March, when he was steered to victory by Frankie Dettori, and the jockey could be on board again this time around. 

Lord North enjoyed his first breeze of 2024 at the weekend but his joint-trainer John Gosden has reservations about the new distance of the Group 3 contest on February 24, which was over Lingfield's ten furlongs but is now over an extra furlong at Southwell.

“Lord North went up the Al Bahathri Polytrack for the first this year on Saturday and he looks in good shape," Gosden said. "He had a good turnout at Wood Ditton Stud during the second half of last year, where they did a lovely job with him. 

"He’s now back with us and is building up for another crack at the Dubai Turf, which he has won for the past three years.”

Lord North (centre): has won the Dubai Turf for the last three yearsCredit: Edward Whitaker

Lord North is among five John and Thady Gosden-trained entries for the BetUK-sponsored Winter Derby.

Gosden said: “Having the Winter Derby over a mile and three isn't a lot of help to Lord North. I wouldn’t be surprised if he finds the extra furlong too far, but I'd like to get a run into him if I can and we’ve got a few other entries. 

"It’s a shame they don’t have a mile-and-a-quarter start at Southwell but there’s nothing between a mile and a mile and three there because of the bend. Our old horse Enemy won the trial the other day and he has form over further, so we’ll have to see how it pans out.”

Lord North's stablemate Orne, who was last seen winning the rearranged Group 3 Horris Hill Stakes at Newmarket in November, is working to a more immediate timescale as he is being targeted at the Group 2 Al Rayyan Mile in Qatar on February 17.

Thady Gosden with Alzahir in the winner's circle after the Al Rayyan Mile in 2023Credit: Edward Whitaker

Gosden said: "Orne also worked at the weekend and is pointing at the Group 2 mile race in Qatar, which we won with Alzahir a year ago. He’s owned by Al Shaqab who are Qataris and like to have runners at their Emir’s Sword meeting.”

BetUK Winter Derby (Southwell, February 24)
Unibet: 11-4 Lord North, 3 Dubai Honour, 9-2 Middle Earth, Military Order, Mujtaba, 5 The Foxes, 8 Lions Pride, 12 Astro King, Tyrrhenian Sea, 14 Vaguely Royal, 16 bar.

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