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Byline: Ed Dunlop 

WITH his old yard now demolished and his new one being rebuilt around him, Ed Dunlop is in the middle of a thoroughly transitional phase that also sees him embarking on a new life as a fully public trainer, following the death of his former employer Sheikh Maktoum Al Maktoum. The 40-year-old still enjoys the patronage of Dubai's ruling family at La Grange Stables on Newmarket's Fordham Road, but good horses are now at a premium and it will have come as some relief to him that he has maintained numbers at a steady 100 and has also popped seven winners in the bag since the turn of the year.

So far, on the turf, Dunlop has been, to use an analogy befitting a man who trains two for Sir Alex Ferguson, "hitting the bar rather than bursting the net", but with the likes of Stone Of Scone and Wasan looking promising among the older inmates, and the threeyear-olds shaping nicely at the trials meetings, hopes are high for a season that will provide the perfect house-warming.

Interview by Peter Thomas Older horses Al Khaleej 5 b c Sakhee - Mood Swings 2139/12- A talented horse who was a good second in the Victoria Cup last year but injured himself in the process.

He's been a fragile horse to train but has ability and will soon start faster work for a season geared to the decent 6f to 1m handicaps on ground that has no mention of fast in it.

Arabian Spirit 4 b c Oasis Dream - Royal Flame 3221-42 Ran the race of his life when second in the Spring Mile at Newbury at 40-1, having needed his reappearance at Kempton.

He will be earmarked for the Victoria Cup at Ascot on May 9 and I think we'll have some fun with him this year.

Broomielaw 5 ch g Rock Of Gibraltar - Peony 2/41/- An enigmatic horse belonging to Sir Alex Ferguson who has spent more time on the subs' bench than on the racecourse. He won his maiden as a three-year-old but didn't run last year. We've had a relatively clear run with him this year and we're bringing him along steadily with a view to a 1m2f handicap. He's useful but we have to be careful with him.

Chantilly Tiffany 5 ch f Pivotal - Gaily Royal 472121- Did very well in the second half STABLE FACTS Started training 1994 Winners in last five years 48 (2004), 45, 55, 51, 44 Horses About 100 Staff 42 Website edunlop.com of last year, winning in Group 3 and Listed company in Germany.

She's now rated 109 and will have to step up. Her likely first port of call will be a Group 3 fillies' race either at Lingfield or in Ireland.

She won the Wood Ditton on good to firm as a three-year-old, which rather fooled us, and it took us a while to stumble upon the fact that she loves a bit of give.

Crystany 4 b f Green Desert - Crystal Music 34664-8 A filly who came to me from Henry Cecil, she ran in a Group 3 in Italy this month but it turned out to be desperate ground and a complete waste of time. She'd been working nicely with Chantilly Tiffany before that and looks to have trained on well, so ignoring that run, she should be a decent 6f or 7f filly at Listed level.

Dear Maurice 5 b g Indian Ridge - Shamaiel 611608- A three-parts brother to Nayyir who won three handicaps last year but then rather lost his way.

He's a lot better than that, has adapted well to the new environment and is a fun 1m to 1m2f handicapper.

Izzibizzi 4 b f Medicean - Sleave Silk 2/31140- Won two for us last autumn, on the all-weather at Kempton and on soft ground at Newbury, and should win again over 1m or 1m2f in handicap company. She'll go for a fillies' open handicap at Ascot at the beginning of May.

King Charles 5 b g King's Best - Charlecote 353607- A good servant who has been the victim of his own success.

He was third in the Duke of Edinburgh at Royal Ascot last year after running in Dubai, so he had a hard old campaign. This winter, we turned him out for the first time in his life and he seems to have bounced back well. We plan to start him off in the same good 1m1f handicap at the Guineas meeting that he was third in last year.

Last Three Minutes 4 b g Val Royal - Circe's Isle 4/13760- Another horse belonging to Sir Alex Ferguson, he won a median auction maiden on quick ground at Yarmouth last year and got a sodding great rating that was tough on him afterwards. Having said that, we felt he sort of let us down a couple of times, so we had him gelded and he seems to have responded well. (Finished a decent fourth in a 1m handicap at Ascot yesterday.) Mischief Making 4 b/br f Lemon Drop Kid - Fraulein 116716- A huge, home-bred, staying filly who did well for us last year, winning four, including a Listed race over 1m5f on the all-weather at Lingfield in October and on turf with a bit of give. She'll have to compete against the big boys now, but she shapes as though she'll get further and could be aimed at either the Ormonde or the Chester Cup. (Finished a good second to the impressive Patkai in the Group 3 Sagaro Stakes at Ascot yesterday.) Silaah 5 b g Mind Games - Ocean Grove 9//412-3 Has been relatively highly profiled for what he has actually achieved, having been injury plagued as a youngster and very lightly raced.

He was heavily backed on his reappearance at Kempton but probably didn't stay the 7f. We plan to drop him back in trip, he is working well and is certainly up to winning again.

Stone Of Scone 4 b c Pivotal - Independence 61- A huge horse, a half-brother to Mount Nelson, whom I've always liked but who had run only twice in his life before Tuesday, winning a 1m maiden at Great Leighs last May. He met with a setback and was put away after that, but he was working nicely before his reappearance at Nottingham and, although we were a little worried the ground might be too soft for him, he did well to get up close home. He may get further in time, but we'll keep him to 1m2f for now and aim him at decent handicaps. He's clearly an improving horse but, having said that, he's the biggest I've ever trained and will need minding for that reason.

Valvigneres 4 gr g Dalakhani - Albacroa 93/04-3 Missed a year through injury then ran incredibly well on his reappearance in a 1m4f handicap at Kempton this month, with the jockey reporting afterwards that he thought the horse would stay further. He looks a ready-made future winner for 1m4f to 2m handicaps in the lower divisions.

Wasan 4 ch c Pivotal - Solaia 1/13171 Has won four out of six, including a decent handicap on his last start at Doncaster last term. He was favourite to win the Britannia at Royal Ascot but didn't get in and looks an upwardly mobile horse, by a sire I'm very keen on, who wouldn't want any fast ground.

He's been brought along steadily, is working nicely, will step up into Pattern company and hopefully will do well at that level.

Three-year-olds Alkhafif b g Royal Applause - My First Romance 1- Well-bred type who won on his only start as a two-year-old and the form has turned out incredibly well. He met with a setback after that and hasn't started faster work yet, so he won't be seen out until later in the year, but he's a horse with a lot of talent.

Aqwaal b c Red Ransom - Mubkera 031- Won a Goodwood maiden in workmanlike fashion on his third start and looks to have done well over the winter. He's one we like and he won nicely at Sandown on his reappearance, despite the trainer feeling he might need the run to put him spot-on. He'll hopefully go on from that, being such a big horse, and if York comes a little soon for him, I'd have in mind a good 1m2f three-year-old handicap at Newbury.

Candy Ride ch f Pivotal - Mia Mambo 5 Ran incredibly well in the unraced filies' maiden at Newbury to be an eyecatching fifth after running very green early on. She's another Pivotal who needs give in the ground, and although she's quite light-framed and won't be overraced at this stage, she's certainly capable of winning her maiden and going on from there.

Chanrossa b f Galileo - Palacoona 0- Big, backward filly who didn't know what to do on her only run last year. She's behind the others but she has the talent.

Crystal Moments b f Haafhd - Celestial Choir 14110- Won three last year but then ran very badly in the Watership Down sales race at Ascot when I thought she'd very nearly win. We've brought her along gently but she's high enough in the handicap and won't be easy to place. She's a genuine sprinter who will hopefully win again.

Demeanour ch f Giant's Causeway - Akuna Bay 439- Ran well at Newbury first time, then disappointed when oddson on good to soft at Redcar and didn't quite come up to scratch at Newmarket. She's ended up on what looks a respectable mark and she'll start off in a 1m or 1m2f fillies' handicap.

Derbaas b c Seeking The Gold - Sultana 4133-5 A smart two-year-old but everything went wrong for him at Newmarket on ground that was too fast and he came back jarred up.

Richard [Hills] was quite rightly easy on him. He had been working well before that and had an entry in the Derby, but obviously those plans are up in the air now.

Fareer ch c Bahamian Bounty - Songsheet 312-3 Deliberately lightly raced as a two-year-old and ran a solid race when third in a decent 7f handicap on ground with a bit of give at Newbury on his reappearance.

I know the horses in front got the run of things, but I think it's always a very good race that throws up winners. He may go to the Guineas meeting but is more likely to head to Chester, with all roads leading to Royal Ascot and the Britannia Handicap.

Hukba b f Anabaa - Banaadir 2-6 Was second on easy ground on her first run at Leicester and ran well from a very bad draw in a 1m2f fillies' maiden on good to soft at Newbury on her reappearance.

She's still a big, weak filly, but one we like at a certain level. She's not a superstar, but she's nice and will definitely improve with time.

Implication b f Pivotal - Insinuation 0-27 Showed nothing on her first start and was second in a moderate race at Newcastle on her return, but was disappointing when second favourite for a Windsor fillies' maiden last time. I think that may have been a smart race, though, and they went very slowly, with Philip Robinson dominating from the front and ours never really getting into it. We'll wait and see what the handicapper does and take it from there.

Masamah gr c Exceed And Excel - Bethesda 118-0 Won two out of three as a two-year-old, both over 5f, but disappointed on his return at Newmarket over 6f. He's an outand-out sprinter but he tends to rush through his races. We put the blinkers back on him because he tends to wander about, but they didn't seem to make any difference. He'll be dropped back to the minimum trip and will probably go for a sprint handicap at Chester, where we'll try to drop him in and ask him to run through horses, and get him to do everything in a more relaxed fashion.

Repetischa ch f Peintre Celebre - Brief Escapade 6 Sixth in the Wood Ditton from an outside draw in a race in which they went slow and then sprinted.

She's a filly we like and who has always gone well, but she's still immature and she'll want further and a little more give in the ground than she got at Newmarket.

I'm sure she'll do well this year but she'll be brought along sensibly.

Satwa Laird b c Johannesburg - Policy Setter 31402- A neat type who won a maiden at Nottingham, wasn't good enough in the Tattersalls Timeform Million at Newmarket and then was a close second in a good Doncaster nursery, with his best form coming on good ground.

His programme will be geared towards Royal Ascot and he'll most likely start in a decent 7f to 1m handicap, possibly at Chester.

He's a good, fun horse with some talent.

Satwa Star b c King's Best - Sheppard's Watch Unraced Well-bred colt who was due to start off at Newbury's Greenham meeting but the ground was too soft, so we'll wait for a maiden on decent ground..

Scottish Affair b c Selkirk - Southern Queen 569-51 One I own who is very much for sale! He's already won once on the all-weather and he'll be winning again.

Spring Adventure b f Dr Fong - Yavari 3-3 A filly I like who was third in the 7f fillies' maiden at the Craven meeting, beaten by two pretty smart types. Alan Munro liked her and I'm sure it won't be long before she wins her maiden and goes on from there.

Thin Red Line b c Red Ransom - Albaiyda 6771-4 Won a 1m maiden on the allweather at Lingfield in the winter and paid the price with a rating of 80. He had a run over 1m1f at Wolverhampton this month and he went quite well, but he'll need 1m2f and a bit of give in the ground on turf, which restricts our options at the moment.

Two-year-olds Almadaa b c Exceed And Excel - Masaader Unraced A short-coupled, strong colt who has just started some faster work and looks to have talent.

Dherghaam b c Exceed And Excel - Alnasreya Unraced A late foal who has just started half-speed work. He's a beautiful mover who looks to have talent.

Faithful Duchess b f Bachelor Duke - Portelet Unraced A half-sister to Etlaala who looks relatively precocious. Is going well so far and will start in a 6f maiden.

Habaayib b f Royal Applause - Silver Kestrel 3 A 130,000gns purchase at Tattersalls last October, she was third in a fillies' maiden at Newmarket that seemed to feature a lot of fancied horses. Richard [Hills] was complimentary about her, said she had a lot of speed, and she's an early sort who should hopefully win her maiden and progress.

Kanaf b c Elnadim - Catcher Applause Unraced A pounds 50,000 buy from Doncaster Bloodstock Sales, he's workmanlike at home but one I like.

He just gets on with it and could be okay.

Khajaaly b c Kheleyf - Joyfullness Unraced A 140,000gns Tattersalls purchase, he's big, scopey, solid and nice. One for later in the year.

Satwa Son b c Oasis Dream - Cozy Maria Unraced Nicely bred, strong, powerful, good mover who looks to go nicely.

b c Compton Place - Superlove A nice colt of Harry Findlay's, he's just started half-speeds.

He looks quite strong and mature and shapes like a decent 6f horse..

CAPTION(S):

Sir Alex Ferguson in the winner's enclosure with Broomielaw, who has spent "more time on the subs' bench than he has on the racecourse"