Special talent Fort Dino scores at Auteuil

Owner Will Sangwin and I have been looking forward to getting Fort Dino on the track since purchasing him privately as an unraced three year old from the Devin family and the son of Doctor Dino proved worth the wait yesterday, winning in hugely impressive fashion at Auteuil.

He has always looked a top-class prospect in his work at home and he had learned plenty from his first visit to the racecourse, when fourth at Dieppe at the beginning of May.

Gabin Meunier was again on board yesterday and, apart from one mistake, Fort Dino jumped beautifully and travelled into the race well.  Caught in a bit of a pocket approaching the second-last, the burst of speed he produced to get to the front and quicken clear under hand riding bodes very well for the future.

Trainer and jockey both feel there is huge improvement to come and it’s very exciting to have him to look forward to for the autumn and beyond.

My first Auteuil double as an agent was brought up by Hamandio, who yet again outclassed his rivals in a big-field handicap, which had a prize-fund of €62,000!

Claimed for €12,300 in mid-April, he is now 2-2 for owner Kit Alexander and has won over €47,000 in prize-money in six weeks.

The Noel George /Amanda Zetterholm team have done such a wonderful job with him and, with James Reveley suspended yesterday, we had the best replacement you could wish for in Felix de Giles!