Middleham Park Racing are taking 22 shareholders and friends on a trip of a lifetime as their pride and joy The Platinum Queen re-appears in the Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland on Friday night.
Richard Fahey’s flying filly cost just 57,000gns at the breeze-ups in April but has already boosted her earnings to almost £350,000 since becoming the first two-year-old to win the Prix de l’Abbaye since 1978.
Tim Palin, the founder of Middleham Park Racing, says: “My son Tom and Mike Prince, who are partners in the business, are flying out to Keeneland with our owners, who really are living the dream with this special filly.
“Her 18 owners paid between £750 and £10,000 for a share and couldn’t believe their luck when she won the Abbaye last month, but to have the favourite at the Breeders’ Cup is something none of them could have ever imagined.”
Among the travelling party is Trev Kilby, a retired police officer who named the daughter of Cotai Glory back in the spring.
“She’s been brilliantly named and has done her majesty proud this year and I’m certain she would have been watching on Saturday,” adds Tim, who confirms The Platinum Queen’s preparations have gone according to plan.
“She did a nice piece of work at Richard’s on Sunday so probably won’t need to have a spin on the track as she’s naturally a busy filly. She’s taken the flight very well and stable jockey Oisin Orr is out there with her.
“It’s a deep race with Karl Burke’s Dramatised and Richard Hannon’s Persian Force also among a strong British contingent. The American horses are going to be tough nuts to crack but we go into the race optimistic of a big run,” adds Tim.
The Platinum Queen has been handed a difficult draw in stall 12 but remains the bookmakers’ favourite ahead of Wesley Ward’s Listed Saratoga winner Love Reigns, who is better berthed in gate two.
“The draw isn’t imperative,” adds Tim. “We do feel she will be well suited by the sweeping bends at Keeneland. All we need is a bit of luck on the night and our owners will be in dreamland once again.”
Middleham Park’s star has won four of her seven races, including the Abbaye, and also finished a gallant second in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York in August and the Group 2 Flying Childers at Doncaster in September.
She isn’t the only successful two-year-old to carry Middleham Park’s familiar sky blue colours this season, however. Eddie’s Boy, a 45,000gns purchase, won the Super Sprint at Newbury before taking a Group 3 in France and was sold for 320,000gns at Tattersalls sales last month.
They also enjoyed a profitable summer with Shouldvebeenaring, who won the Listed Ripon Champion Two-Year-Old Trophy and a valuable sales race at York, but a Breeders’ Cup victory would break new ground for the successful syndication company.