Dee Ex Bee could end Mark Johnston’s 10 years of dreaming

He was speaking after Dee Ex Bee, last year’s Epsom Derby runner-up, won the Sagaro Stakes at the Berkshire track this week under William Buick.

Middleham-based Johnston first won the Ascot Gold Cup – one of the centrepieces of the Royal meeting – with Double Tiger in 1995.

Royal Rebel then recorded successive victories in 2001 and 2002.

This week’s victory was Dee Ex Bee’s first triumph in more than a year and a clearly irked Johnston remarked: “There has been a lot of nonsense talked about his form and the second half of the year after the Derby, and of course it was disappointing as we were dreaming he was going to win the St Leger, but he finished fourth.

“He was beaten by some very good horses and mixed it at the very highest level. When he was beaten at Goodwood everyone was shocked, but they were not so shocked when he (winner Cross Counter) won the Melbourne Cup.

“It has been frustrating me no end as we are known for having stayers, but it has been a long time since we have had one that is top of the tree. Double Trigger can maybe claim some credit for putting staying races back on the map, but it has got tougher and tougher. You need a proper Group One horse and ideally a Classic horse as a three-year-old, which is what he was.”

On comparisons with his Ascot Gold Cup winners, Johnston said: “You cannot put Dee Ex Bee up there with Double Trigger and Royal Rebel yet, but this is a horse who ran in the Derby and the St Leger, and for many years during my early days as a trainer those sort of horses weren’t being kept for the Gold Cup.

“Nowadays they are again and that is exactly what you need. I have not had one for a few years and thankfully I have got one again – a St Leger horse staying in training to go for the Gold Cup. It is what I have been dreaming of for the last 10 years.”

Johnston also said that he is “sorely tempted” to miss next week’s Chester Cup with Austrian School in favour of the Yorkshire Cup at York on May 17 for the half-brother to dual Grand National winner Tiger Roll.

The trainer is due to saddle Dark Vision in tomorrow’s 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. The Yorkshire challenger is an outsider in a race headed by the Aidan O’Brien-trained pair of Magna Grecia – winner of the Vertem Futurity Trophy at Doncaster – and Ten Sovereigns.