Racing: Dunlop leads import drive: Matt Chapman on a season of success for Britain overseas

JOHN DUNLOP is almost certain to be the 1993 Flat season's leading overseas trainer thanks to the comprehensive defeat of White Muzzle in the Japan Cup on Sunday.

Peter Chapple-Hyam's colt would have moved his trainer to the head of the overseas earnings table had he finished in the first three in Tokyo, but his remote 13th left Chapple- Hyam a worthy third, the position he held before the race.

British trainers have earned pounds 6,685,991 in prize money in 15 countries during 1993. A total of 106 races have been won abroad, and on a further 190 occasions horses have picked up place or appearance money.

Dunlop has not been the leading international trainer since 1982, but his foreign runners have flourished this year. Horses from the Arundel yard have gained foreign prize money on 60 different occasions, and have won pounds 2,315,476 in Italian races alone.

Alhijaz and Azzilfi have made the most significant contribution to Dunlop's total. Alhijaz's best performance came when landing Italy's Group One Premio Vittorio di Capua and Group Two Premio Ribot, while Azzilfi was second in both the Gran Premio d'Italia and German St Leger.

Richard Hannon's success has not been purely domestic. He has had a magnificent season abroad and could yet snatch the title from Dunlop if Swing Low is first or second in the Hong Kong International Bowl at Sha Tin on 12 December. Dana Springs, winner of the Piaget d'Or at Deauville in August, helped Hannon to become the leading British trainer in France this year.

Despite disappointing Chapple-Hyam on Sunday, White Muzzle provided his trainer with the second Derby win of his career, following Dr Devious's victory at Epsom last year, when landing this season's Derby Italiano.

But perhaps the best British training performance overseas was Gavin Pritchard-Gordon's victory with Prince Babar in the Listed Challenge d'Or Piaget at Deauville on 21 August. The first prize of pounds 179,211 was easily the Newmarket trainer's richest success to date.

----------------------------------------------------------------- BRITISH TRAINERS' FOREIGN EARNINGS ----------------------------------------------------------------- Trainer Wins Places Earnings J Dunlop 24 36 pounds 913,082 R Hannon 11 17 pounds 861,722 P C-Hyam 3 11 pounds 791,446 P Cole 11 13 pounds 541,862 C Brittain 3 9 pounds 519,418 H Cecil 1 1 pounds 391,787 J Gosden 3 10 pounds 325,785 L Cumani 6 8 pounds 282,423 Lord H'don 7 8 pounds 238,655 B Hills 4 3 pounds 225,168 -----------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------- BRITISH EARNINGS ABROAD BY COUNTRY ----------------------------------------------------------------- Country Wins Places Earnings Italy 46 48 pounds 2,315,476 France 20 54 pounds 1,962,747 Ireland 18 43 pounds 1,420,740 Germany 12 31 pounds 692,860 USA 0 6 pounds 74,329 Spain 1 1 pounds 57,554 Sweden 1 1 pounds 29,878 Japan 0 (1) pounds 27,513* Belgium 3 1 pounds 27,336 Austria 2 0 pounds 24,347 Turkey 0 1 pounds 15,894 Norway 1 1 pounds 15,759 N'lands 1 0 pounds 10,870 Slovakia 1 0 pounds 6,851 H Kong 0 (3) pounds 3,837* ----------------------------------------------------------------- *Appearance money -----------------------------------------------------------------