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Lupini looking to next season with stable stars

Natalia Lupini  with her partner and assistant Craig Bryson Natalia Lupini with her partner and assistant Craig Bryson
© Healy Racing Photos

Barnso became Natalia Lupini's fifteenth winner of the season (from 81 runners) when scoring at Dundalk on Friday evening and afterwards the trainer outlined plans for a couple of her stable stars.

Leopardstown Listed winner Kitty Rose met with defeat for the first time in the Staffordstown Stud Stakes at the Curragh last weekend and Lupini reported: “She is on a break at the moment out on grass and is staying with us for next season.

“She ran a great race last time at the Curragh. She was in front nearly all the way on soft ground over a mile and we thought she didn’t lose anything in defeat.

“She will probably start off in a classic trial at Leopardstown in the spring.

“It looks like she could step up to a mile and two or even a mile and four in time. She settles and does everything right.”

Six-time winner Dunum landed the Ahonoora Handicap at the Galway festival before finding only one too good in another Premier Handicap on Champion Stakes day at Leopardstown.

The five-year-old failed to beat a rival when stepped up to stakes company in the Concorde Stakes at Tipperary but Lupini believes he will leave that run behind next season.

“He didn’t really handle the (soft) ground last time.

“He’s going on a break now and is finished for this year. He’s been in a long time and done plenty. He’s been a real start for us this year.

“That last run can be scratched and he could step up to Listed or Group 3 level next year.”

Additional reporting from Alan Magee

About Mark Nunan
Mark has followed racing since he was a teenager and worked for many years as a broadcaster with the Irish version of Racecall. He joined the Press Association in 2019 and is also a contributor to the Racing Post. A native of Kildare, he now lives in Sligo.