Lah Ti Dar

Trained by John Gosden, Group 2 winner Lah Ti Dar remains a thoroughly unexposed filly despite being a four-year-old who made her racecourse debut back in April 2018.

She was bred by Watership Down Stud, out of the three-time Group 1 winner Dar Re Mi and sired by Irish 2000 Guineas winner Dubawi. Lah Ti Dar did not make her debut appearance on track until the start of her three-year-old campaign.

Much was expected of the filly when she hacked up in a 10-furlong novice event at Newbury on debut in April 2018, winning by six lengths with Frankie Dettori on board. It would be the start of a rollercoaster ride for her owner Lord Lloyd-Webber.

After that highly encouraging debut run, Lah Ti Dar was immediately stepped up to Listed class for the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket, a race that tends to be a trial for the Epsom Oaks. Despite being keen throughout, Frankie Dettori took her to the front with a furlong out and despite running green, she drew clear in the final furlong to win eased down by three lengths.

As a result, she was a market leader for the 2018 Epsom Oaks but injury ruled her out of contention for the fillies’ Classic. Instead, she would wait till August of that year to return to the track, in more modest Listed company at York. Her return was extremely impressive on the eye, quickening away from Light Of Joy and Sun Maiden to land the Galtres Stakes on the Knavesmire by 10 lengths.

Having missed the Oaks, John Gosden would send Lah Ti Dar towards the final British Classic of the season - the St. Leger Stakes at Doncaster. Despite being over one mile and six furlongs - two further than Lah Ti Dar had ever raced before - and against three-year-old colts, she was sent off the 7/4 favourite.

She made headway to almost lead with three furlongs to run, but could only chase down Kew Gardens to within two lengths as the Ballydoyle colt stayed on best of all to claim the oldest Classic, with Lah Ti Dar back in second.

The final race of a busy three-year-old campaign saw Lah Ti Dar run at Champions Day at Ascot, in the Group 1 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes. Here she took on four-year-olds on ground softer than she had previously encountered, and it proved to be her undoing. Lah Ti Dar and Frankie Dettori would only finish third, behind another Ballydoyle horse in Magical.

As a four-year-old making just her sixth start, Lah Ti Dar won her first Group 2 race in the Middleton Stakes at York during the Dante meeting in May 2019.

Heavily backed at prohibitive odds of 1/3, Lah Ti Dar took a trademark keen hold under Frankie Dettori and was put under pressure inside the final two furlongs by Rawdaa and Ryan Moore. But the Dubawi filly pulled out more at the death to win by a diminishing neck.

15 days later, Lah Ti Dar (11/4f) would run in the Group 1 Coronation Cup at Epsom, and would go off the favourite for the seventh successive race.

Up in class against Group 1 winners including St Leger winner Kew Gardens and Dubai Sheema Classic winner Old Persian, Lah Ti Dar was held up in midfield but never looked likely to contend and plugged on to finish a very moderate sixth.

After that Epsom disappointment Lah Ti Dar would not go off favourite for her next race - the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud at the French track on June 30. Frankie Dettori chose to partner her stablemate Coronet for the 12-furlong test and his decision was proved right as she clinched victory. Lah Ti Dar (47/10) meanwhile - this time ridden by Ryan Moore - finished a close third after holding every chance two furlongs out.

Lah Ti Dar has entries in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on July 27, 2019 and the Yorkshire Oaks at York in August. The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in early October could also be on the agenda.

Her only other entry at this stage is the Irish St. Leger at The Curragh on 15 September 2019, but that looks an unlikely target if Lah Ti Dar is to run in the Arc just three weeks later.

The Group 1 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot - a race she was third in last year - could also be a potential end-of-season target if connections decide to avoid a trip to France.

Lah Ti Dar is in the capable hands of master trainer John Gosden, who has trained over 3000 winners around the world including victories in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the Breeders’ Cup Classic, the Epsom Derby, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Eclipse Stakes.

Gosden is also the only man in history to have won the Cartier three-year-old Colt, Filly and Horse of the Year awards, pulling off that feat in 2014 with Taghrooda and Kingman.

Gosden previously trained in California from 1979 to 1989, before moving to the UK and training at Stanley House Stables in Newmarket from 1989 through to 1999.

He then announced he was moving to Manton, Wiltshire for the 2000 campaign, winning the 1000 Guineas, the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, the Fillies’ Mile and the Prix de la Foret in his first season at his new stables.

Gosden’s most recent and current home is based back in Newmarket at Clarehaven Stables.

As retained rider for John Gosden, Frankie Dettori - who has won 17 British Classics in a career spanning nearly 30 years - has ridden Lah Ti Dar for every one of her starts to date.

Lah Ti Dar is owned by Lord Lloyd-Webber, who has written musicals including Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat as well as Cats and The Phantom of the Opera. He is one of only 15 people to have won an Emmy, a Grammy, a Tony and an Oscar award.