'Budapest Bullet' on target for Temple test
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Your support makes all the difference.Hungary may not be exactly a hotbed of thoroughbred racing; indeed, there is only one significant track in a country with a population of 10 million. The place has, though, made three significant contributions to the sport. The first was the 1876 Derby winner Kisber; the second, the extraordinary mare Kincsem, holder of the world unbeaten record of 54 races, a sequence that included the 1878 Goodwood Cup.
The third, a horse affectionately known as the Budapest Bullet, is scheduled to run at Haydock on Saturday. Overdose is favourite for the best sprint of the domestic season so far, the Temple Stakes, a Group Two contest that will be his eagerly awaited first outing on these shores. The six-year-old has won 15 of his 16 races but still has something of a point to prove.
All his victories, mostly achieved by freakishly wide margins, have come in soft company in his homeland and in Italy, Austria, Slovakia and Germany. He did take on Europe's best on one occasion, and slaughtered them, in the 2008 Prix de l'Abbaye at Longchamp. But, unfairly, there is no record of his run that day in the form book; the race was declared void after the starting stall of one of his rivals failed to open.
Trained by Jozef Roszival, Overdose opened this year's campaign with a win in Germany last month and has been lodging with Amanda Perrett in Sussex ahead of Saturday's venture, in which he will be opposed by last year's winner Kingsgate Native.
The same afternoon at the Curragh, Frankel's immediate pursuer in the 2,000 Guineas, Dubawi Gold, will seek compensation in the Irish version, to which he has been supplemented at a cost of €32,500. The Richard Hannon-trained colt, as short as 6-4 favourite, will have a maximum of nine rivals after Zoffany, one of the 11 acceptors, was ruled out late yesterday by a bout of colic. Pathfork and Dream Ahead were the most notable of the defectors.
Turf Account
* Chris McGrath's Nap
Tarooq (8.30 Kempton)
Travelled well for a long way when third over today's trip at Haydock last month. Lightly raced for one of his age.
* Next best
York Glory (2.00 Nottingham)
Steps into handicap company for the first time on what should prove a workable mark.
* One to watch
Mount Athos's strong-finishing fourth in the Chester Cup was extremely creditable from his high draw.
* Where the money's going
Ocean War was yesterday's Derby mover, 16-1 from 20-1 with Ladbrokes.
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