In Command (horse)
In Command (foaled 28 February 1994) is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Bred and owned by Maktoum Al Maktoum he was trained in England by Barry Hills. He showed his best form as a two-year-old in 1996 when he was placed in the Acomb Stakes, Champagne Stakes and Middle Park Stakes before recording his biggest success in the Dewhurst Stakes. He failed to win in four subsequent races and was retired from racing in 1998. He had no success as a breeding stallion. Background In Command was a bay horse bred in Ireland by his owner Maktoum Al Maktoum's Gainsborough Stud. The colt was sent into training in England with Barry Hills at Lambourn in Berkshire and was ridden in all of his races by Hills' son Michael. In Command was from the ninth crop of foals sired by Sadler's Wells, who won the Irish 2000 Guineas, Eclipse Stakes and Irish Champion Stakes in 1984 went on to be the Champion sire on fourteen occasions. In Command's dam Flying Melody was a successful racehorse who became an outstanding broodmare, producing Royal Applause and Lyric Fantasy. As a descendant of the broodmare Oola Hills, Flying Melody was related to many notable Thoroughbreds including Park Top and Pappa Fourway. Racing career 1996: two-year-old season In Command began his racing career in a maiden race over six furlongs at Goodwood Racecourse on 31 July in which he started the 6/5 favourite in an eight-runner field. He took the lead a furlong out and won by half a length from the Mick Channon-trained Mile High. He was then moved up in class and distance for the Acomb Stakes over seven furlongs at York Racecourse on 20 August in which he started odds-on favourite but finished third behind Revoque and Symonds Inn. Despite his defeat In Command was stepped up again in class for the Group Two Champagne Stakes at Doncaster Racecourse on 13 September. Starting the 9/1 outsider of the four runners he took the lead a quarter of a mile from the finish but was overtaken and beaten three and a half lengths into second by the John Dunlop-trained Bahhare. On 3 October the colt was moved up to Group One class for the Group One Middle Park Stakes over six furlongs on good-to-firm ground at Newmarket Racecourse and started the 8/1 fifth choice in the betting behind Bahamian Bounty, Indian Rocket (Mill Reef Stakes), Hurricane State and Easycall (Richmond Stakes, Flying Childers Stakes). In Command was among the leaders from the start and stayed on well in the closing stages to finish third behind Bahamian Bounty and Muchea. Fifteen days after his run in the Middle Park Stakes, In Command returned to Newmarket to contest Britain's most prestigious race for two-year-olds, the Dewhurst Stakes on rain-softened ground. Bahamian Bounty started 7/2 joint favourite alongside the Ed Dunlop-trained Kahal with In Command starting at odds of 10/1. The other five runners were Desert King, The West (runner-up in the Prix de