Lupini hoping for further success at Leopardstown Dunum will bid to go one better in the €150,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Sovereign Path Handicap at Leopardstown on Saturday for trainer Natalia Lupini who struck with Kitty Rose in the Listed Ingabelle Stakes on the same card 12 months ago. Dunum was unlucky last year to come up against Massive Sovereign who went on to land the Hong Kong Derby, and the six-year-old gelding was a creditable third to Physique when bidding to land the valuable Ahonoora Handicap for the second successive year at the Galway Festival last month. Lupini’s partner Craig Bryson said, “Dunum seems very well at home at the moment. He hasn’t quite got it together this year but his run in Galway was good, and he had to carry plenty of weight that day. He’s in good order.” The northern trainer is also represented by Barnso in the 1m5f Irish Stallion Farms EBF Petingo Handicap. The Dundalk maiden winner also scored over 1m2f at Fairyhouse this spring and has progressed well since stepped up in trip including when a close-up third to Chemistry in the Listed Vinnie Roe Stakes over 1m6f at Leopardstown last month. “Barnso is also very well. He has a nice weight on his back and hopefully he can run a nice race and collect a bit of prizemoney,” said Bryson. “We always liked him and the further he goes the better he goes. Even the last day at Naas when he was third, he still hit the line best. “We think going up to two miles eventually will be no problem for him.”
