Dansili’s Dr Drill Prevails in Thrilling Scone Cup

Mark Smith - Friday May 15

A pearler of a ride by Keagan Latham paved the way for the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace Dr Drill (GB) to stave off the chasing pack in a thrilling finish to Friday’s $160,000 Listed Scone Cup (1600m).

Travelling sweetly in fourth place on the rails, Latham eased Dr Drill (GB) around the leaders Royal Tudor and Chief Ironside (GB) in the straight before holding off Phaistos (Helmet) by a short-neck with Sambro (Fastnet Rock) a head back in third.

Less than a length separated the sixth across the line.

Assistant trainer Annabel Neasham said the stable was hoping to redeem itself after their only other Scone Cup starter Age Of Fire finished last 12 months ago.

“We were quite confident this was his sort of race. It was beautiful ride by Keagan, I said to just cuddle him as last start I think we rode him a little bit wrong over 1400 metres when he was at his top the whole way,” Neasham told Sky Racing.

“Up to the mile he travelled much better and it was a great ride.

“He’s got a really good turn of foot, he is a great horse. He was a mile and a half horse in Europe but Ciaron does a great job with these European horses in getting some speed into their legs and he has produced over all sorts of trips now.”  

Winner of the Listed Cranbourne Cup last October, the 5yo son of Dansili advances his record to 7 wins, 6 seconds and 3 thirds from 23 starts with earnings of $668,440.

An 85,000 gns purchase at the 2017 Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale, Dr Drill is a half-brother to Listed winner Pinzolo (Monsun) and the stakes-placegetters Materialistic (Oasis Dream) and Poplin (Medicean) out of the Group II Lancashire Oaks winner and Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks runner-up Pongee (Barathea) from the family of Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes winner Magic Wand (Galileo), Group 1 winner Chiquita (Montjeu) and Melbourne Cup hero Rekindling (High Chaparral).

Dr Drill is one of 142 stakes-winners for Juddmonte Farm's Danehill stallion Dansili who was pensioned in 2018 due to declining fertility.

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Race Result - Darley Scone Cup LR 1600m

Scone Track: Good(4) Time: 1:34.86
1
Dr Drill
- 5g Dansili (GB) x Pongee (GB) (Barathea (IRE))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: K S Latham 56.5
2
0.2
Phaistos
- 4g Helmet (AUS) x Latona (GB) (Fantastic Light (USA))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: G Buckley 54
3
0.4
Sambro
- 5g Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Eau De Joie (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: L Magorrian 55
Fastnet Rock
4
0.6
Chief Ironside
- 5h Lawman (FR) x Moment Of Time (GB) (Rainbow Quest (USA))
Tnr: K A Lees Rdr: Ms S Clenton 58.5
5
0.7
Military Zone
- 4g Epaulette (AUS) x Loading Zone (AUS) (Street Sense (USA))
Tnr: P & P Snowden Rdr: C Reith 55
6
0.8
Black On Gold
- 6g Sebring (AUS) x Fools Gold (AUS) (Commands (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Jenny Duggan 54
7
1.6
Live And Free
- 5g Savabeel (AUS) x Patrimonium (IRE) (Green Desert (USA))
Tnr: J A O'Shea Rdr: J Penza 54
8
3.2
Royal Tudor
- 7g Snippetson (AUS) x Cute And Cuddly (AUS) (Danehill Dancer (IRE))
Tnr: R E Ollerton Rdr: Cejay Graham 54
9
3.4
Sixties Groove
- 7g Sixties Icon (GB) x Gift Dancer (GB) (Imperial Dancer (GB))
Tnr: K A Lees Rdr: A Gibbons 61
10
4.4
Petrology
- 8g Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Romantic River (USA) (Irish River (FR))
Tnr: Nathan Doyle Rdr: Ashley Morgan 54
11
4.5
The Getaway
- 6g Zoffany (IRE) x Centaure (NZ) (Centaine (AUS))
Tnr: P M Perry Rdr: Ms R Murray 54
12
4.7
Satono Rasen
- 8g Deep Impact (JPN) x Toupie (GB) (Intikhab (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: C G O'Brien 55.5
13
5.3
Plaisir
- 6g Choisir (AUS) x Princess Tyla (AUS) (Royal Academy (USA))
Tnr: D I Atkins Rdr: A E Denby 54
14
5.6
Unbiased
- 7g Medaglia D'Oro (USA) x The Fairest (AUS) (Thunder Gulch (USA))
Tnr: Glenn Morgan Rdr: R Thompson 54
15
7.6
Bobbing
- 6g Beneteau (AUS) x My Dear (AUS) (Dehere (USA))
Tnr: B J Kelly Rdr: Tom Sherry 54
16
7.8
Cutadeel
- 4g Dundeel (NZ) x Dineeta (AUS) (Dylan Thomas (IRE))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: Mitchell Bell 55
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