Breeding & Racing Magazine

Plumptre Confirms Denman Aiming Overseas

Boom 3YO colt Denman (Lonhro-Peach, by Vain) "could be making his farewell to Melbourne racing" in tomorrow's Gr1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington, reported The Daily Telegraph. Henry Plumptre, managing director for Sheikh Mohammed's Darley Australia racing & breeding operation, "admitted the chances of Denman racing in Australia next season were diminishing" & noted: "Denman is an obvious choice to take overseas & I would be recommending it to John Ferguson (Sheikh Mohammed's bloodstock advisor). It would be fantastic to lift Denman's profile, especially for Darley Australia as he is a home-bred. Darley is a global business & I am sure it would give Sheikh Mohammed great pleasure to have an international Gr1 horse from Australia. . . . We are under no illusions that if we have a horse of sufficient calibre, it will eventually go overseas to race for Godolphin." At his most recent start, Denman won February's Gr2 D'Urban Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield to take his record to 9 wins (also including his 2 previous starts in the Listed Zeditave Stakes over 1200m at Caulfield & Listed Wellington Racing Club Stakes over 1400m at Caulfield, plus 2009's Gr1 Golden Rose over 1400m at Rosehill, Gr2 Stan Fox Stakes over 1400m at Randwick & Gr3 Run To The Roses over 1300m at Rosehill) & a placing from 11 starts for $1,194,125 earnings.