3 minute read

Scott Dixon is hoping Fine Wine can mature and establish himself among the leading sprinters this term as he prepares for Saturday’s Simpex Express Epsom ‘Dash’ Handicap.

The five-year-old thrives on his racing, having run 13 times already since the turn of the year, and has recorded three wins and only been out of the frame once in his last seven races.

The form of his last victory when downing Raasel by three lengths at York was franked when the Mick Appleby-trained runner-up took the Listed Achilles Stakes at Haydock with ease on Saturday.

Fine Wine's Nottinghamshire handler feels his charge will be able to handle Epsom's roller-coaster track, with its sharp descent and uphill finish to the five-furlong Dash.

"That Raasel form stacks up well," said Dixon.

"I know Mick (Appleby) thought a lot of that horse when we won at York and he did the business at Haydock.

"I would never have run Fine Wine in that race (Achilles Stakes) – the ground was a bit on the quick side. It dried up and they quickened well off that ground, so I don't think it would have suited him.

"We have got him in the Dash on Saturday. He has shown plenty of early speed and he seems to have handled downhill courses on a couple of occasions, and he ran well at Musselburgh. You never know with Epsom, it is one of those tracks.

"We will give it a good go – I think he is one of the favourites – and that will be his next start."