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Brown Panther plans open before Ascot Gold Cup run

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - MARCH 28:  Brown Panther ridden by Richard Kingscote wins the Dubai Gold Cup during the Dubai World Cup at the Meydan Racecou
Image: Brown Panther: Brilliant in Dubai

Tom Dascombe will consider options at home and abroad for Brown Panther following his terrific triumph in the Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan on Saturday.

Last season's Irish St Leger hero justified favouritism with a brilliant display in the desert and his trainer admits he would love another crack at the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in June, a race in which he passed the post fourth last summer.

However, Brown Panther is likely to be seen in action before then, with races at Chester, York and in Japan in the melting pot.

Dascombe said: "He's on his way home as we speak and I should think he's somewhere over Europe at the moment.

"We were obviously delighted with him the other night. He ran right up to his mark and I think it's probably as good a performance as he's ever put in.

"We travelled with him last autumn and things didn't work out, so it was great to get it right this time.

"We'll just get him home and see how he is before we make any plans for him, but there are a few options.

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"There is a two-mile race in Japan he could go for, but I understand the ground does get very quick there and the track is very sharp, which wouldn't be ideal.

"He could run in the Ormonde Stakes at Chester, but he'd have a big penalty there, and the other option is the Yorkshire Cup, which we've entered him in this morning.

"If I had a dream race to win it would be the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, so whether another flight to Japan would be good for his preparation for that would be open to question, so we'll just have to see."

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