Duke Of Firenze: a white knuckle-ride with plenty of dash

When racing fans argue over which is the better code, jumps supporters are quick to point out a greater longevity allows for a deeper connection with their favourite horses.

In Duke Of Firenze, the evergreen sprinter who has contested more than 100 races in a career spanning a decade, those favouring the Flat have a stalwart to fight their corner.

Having made his debut at two for Sir Michael Stoute and Cheveley Park Stud, the regally bred son of Pivotal joined Doncaster trainer David Griffiths in 2015, for whom he has won seven times including twice as a 12-year-old this year.

Griffiths has proved a dab hand with older sprinters, most notably dual Group 2 winner Take Cover, and ‘The Duke’ is right up there in his affections.

“We got him for a song at 16,000gns at the horses-in-training sale and he’s proved a bargain,” the trainer recalls. “We’d followed him for a bit and Robert Cowell said he was a lovely horse, and we managed to nick him.

Duke Of Firenze: winner of the Epsom Dash in 2013 under Ryan MooreCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

“He’s taken us everywhere, including France and Ireland, and run some really good races, particularly at York.”

For all his love of the Knavesmire, the Epsom Dash is the race Duke Of Firenze has become most synonymous with.

Widely-regarded as the fastest five-furlong sprint in the world, it is a race that suits his brazen speed perfectly.

Duke Of Firenze first rose to prominence with a jaw-dropping victory in the 2013 Dash. Held up out the back, he went from fourth-last at the furlong pole to in the blink of an eye the neck winner, having weaved his way through the pack under Ryan Moore.

His form figures in the Dash read 103367 with no shortage of hard-luck stories. His running style has always made him a hostage to fortune.

“The Dash is a race I’ve always liked,” says Griffiths. “He won it for Sir Michael, but has been so unlucky in it for me. He was third in 2016 and 2017, beaten a short head and a nose. When Ornate won it for me in 2019, he had no luck whatsoever as he got no run up the rail. It was great to win it with Ornate, but it was a shame we couldn’t win it with Duke Of Firenze.

“I particularly remember in 2017 when he was third behind Caspian Prince and the Andrew Balding-trained Dark Shot. I was standing next to Clare Balding – who I know from my time working for her father Ian – and we were both jumping up and down like lunatics. Unfortunately, we both missed out.

Duke Of Firenze and regular rider David Allan win at YorkCredit: Mark Cranham

“He’s really hard to ride as you don’t want to be in front too soon and his running style suggests you’re likely to be unlucky.”

Arguably Duke Of Firenze’s best performance came in defeat in the 2017 Prix de l’Abbaye, one of only two attempts at Group 1 level.
“We went to the Abbaye and to be fourth was amazing,” says Griffiths. “Battaash won by four lengths, but to finish a length behind Marsha and Profitable was a phenomenal run.

“It was run at Chantilly, which is such a beautiful place, and the owners were there and it was one of those great days. We had a good night afterwards. He was a big price that day [80-1] and we didn’t campaign him in that many Group races. He needs a big field and for them to go that fast, and he got those things in the Abbaye.”

Owners Jason Adlam, Hannah Damary-Thompson and Lewis Wilson are all local to the Doncaster stable and have particularly enjoyed their first ever horse’s liking for York.

Three of Duke Of Firenze’s 12 victories have come on the Knavesmire, including twice at the Dante meeting.

“The day he won the Jack Berry race at the Dante meeting for the second time in 2017 was probably the highlight,” adds Griffiths, who owns a quarter share in the chestnut himself.

“All the owners were there and it was at York, which is a special track. He was off 103 that day, which was a high mark for an eight-year-old, and it all clicked. It was a big win on TV too. On his day he was a seriously good horse and he’s won nearly £300,000.”

Duke Of Firenze (left) rolls back the years with victory at Southwell in FebruaryCredit: Pool

His best days might be behind him, but even in his advancing years Duke Of Firenze has not lost his desire, as proven with victories at Southwell and Lingfield this year.

“It’s been nice to see him win twice at the ripe old age of 12 and there are plenty of races for him,” adds Griffiths.

“Every year he’s come back out and done well, running in and winning some of the big races on TV, and people take notice of him. He’s got a bit of a fan club and we get letters from people asking for his shoes from his races.

“He’s done so well for us and when he does retire he’ll have a home here for life.”

'You have to let him find his own feet'

Some horses are bound to pass you by when you have more than 500 rides a year, but David Allan has always had his interest piqued by Duke Of Firenze.

No jockey has ridden Duke Of Firenze on more occasions than Allan, who has experienced the thrill – and occasional heartbreak – of racing’s ultimate white-knuckle ride.

Given his renowned hold-up style, there have been a fair few races that have got away, but Allan managed to get the notoriously tricky sprinter’s head in front three times, including twice in decent York handicaps.

“I should have won another race on him at York when he was second and it was after that race I figured him out,” says Allan. “He hit the front too soon and decided enough was enough and I learned to be a bit more patient on him.

“If you put him in a race early, he loses interest. You have to let him find his own feet and when he decides to go you can fly through them. Obviously, then you’ve got the issue of finding the gaps.”

Gaps don’t always come in time in big-field sprint handicaps as Allan found to his cost on a few cracks at the Epsom Dash.

“He’s run some mighty races there,” the jockey says. “It’s the fastest five-furlong sprint in the world and you’re sitting there about nine lengths off the leader, thinking you’re too far back. But that’s the way you have to ride him. The gaps didn’t come for us in the Dash and I’ve been absolutely gutted afterwards.

“He likes a fast five but he doesn’t want to be involved until the last 50 yards. He couldn’t be a better ride, though, and I enjoyed having the challenge of trying to weave our way through as late as we could.”

On Duke Of Firenze’s mass appeal, Allan adds: “He’s kept running in the big races for all these years and that’s why people have an interest in him.

“A lot of my friends would always back him each-way at York, even though they knew he’d need things to go his way, as they’d just love to see him win.”

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