Express excites Prendergast

Irish trainer Kevin Prendergast expects to see plenty of improvement from unbeaten juvenile Dunboyne Express in Saturday's Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster.

Prendergast believes the form of Frankel's brilliant win in the Dewhurst Stakes at the weekend proves he has the makings of a top-class colt on his hands.

"I thought Frankel was very good," he said. "He showed he's the best around and gives us a target to aim at. The second horse [Roderic O'Connor] came home quite well and we beat the third horse [Glor Na Mara] by over 12 lengths at the Curragh in July, so from our point of view, that pays a compliment to us.

"My horse is in great shape and the plan is to go to Doncaster. I'm not worried by what others turn up - let them worry about us!"

Prendergast, who has been training since 1963 and recently saddled his 2000th career winner, is already looking ahead to next season's Newmarket colts' Classic with Dunboyne Express.The trainer has won seven Irish Classics in total and also won the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket with Nebbiolo in 1977.

He added: "I'm not sure how he'd rank alongside the other good horses I've had but we can only go by what he's done so far.

"He won his maiden on good ground at Leopardstown when he was very green and then won by eight lengths on soft ground, beating one of Aidan O'Brien's good colts [Samuel Morse].

"I'm sure Aidan still has plenty of horses left in his locker but I expect my horse to show improvement."

The Henry Cecil-trained Frankel, who also won the Royal Lodge Stakes by 10 lengths, is a best-priced 5-4 for next May's 2000 Guineas with Sky Bet and as short as 4-5 with some firms.

Defeated Dewhurst rivals Dream Ahead and Saamidd can now be backed at 16-1 and 20-1 respectively.