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Saturday 30 May 2009

Breeders' Cup winner Goldikova is to miss Royal Ascot in favour of a next run in the Group One Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket's July meeting. The four-year-old failed to fire on her return in the Group One Prix d'Ispahan recently.

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Friday 29 May 2009

David Wachman has yet to decide whether to run last Sunday's Irish 1000 Guineas winner Again in the Investec Oaks a week today. The trainer told PA Sport: "No decision on Epsom has been made yet and the final decision will be made late enough. She's in great form and I just have to speak to the owners over the next few days and whatever they would like to do, we'll do that."

Wachman plans to run Bushranger in the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, continuing: "He came out of [last Sunday's Greenlands Stakes] fine and I thought he ran very well on ground he can't walk on.

"I was very happy with the run and obviously he has to step up and improve but I'm hoping he can. We're looking at the Golden Jubilee at Royal Ascot for him now."

Wokingham Handicap favourite Laddies Poker Two will not run in the race after suffering a setback.

Trainer Jeremy Noseda said: "She had a little setback at the weekend and will not take her place in the Wokingham."

Godolphin's Derby hope Kite Wood has worked well at Newmarket, with Simon Crisford reporting: "It was just routine stuff and quite straightforward. Just good pre-Derby conditioning. Everything went well but there were no fireworks. He looks like he might have improved since York and one would expect him to have improved because he was slightly under-cooked that day. He needs to make significant improvement to be a live Derby contender but he seems in good shape and is all set to take his chance."

Brian Meehan will decide on Monday whether Crowded House, who scoped badly after disappointing in the Dante stakes at York, will line up at Epsom. He told his website brianmeehanatmanton.com: "Crowded House worked well yesterday and we are pleased with him, he had a good blow and will work again on Monday when a decision will be made as to whether we run in the Derby.

"The reason for this delayed decision is because he missed some work after the Dante and may be a little short, but we will know on Monday for sure."

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Thursday 28 May 2009

The Aga Khan's Siyouni looks a juvenile with a big future after posting a second success at Maisons-Laffitte on Wednesday, cruising to the front 200m out and winning hard-held. Connections have decided to bypass the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot, though, concerned that the race might leave too much of a mark.

Trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre is instead considering the Prix La Fleche, the Prix du Bois and the Robert Papin.

Starcraft filly Don't Tell Mary won the Listed Hialry Needler Trophy at Beverley on Wednesday, routing her rivals by four lengths. Trainer Tom Dascombe will run the filly in the Queen Mary Stakes, for which she is an 8-1 chance.

Juvenile Group winner Strike The Deal regained winning ways on Wednesday, landing the Skyros Pony Conditions Stakes at Lingfield.

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Wednesday 27 May 2009

Trainer John Oxx has cautioned that 2000 Guineas winner Sea The Stars could miss the Investec Derby if the going at Epsom is soft.

In an interview in the Racing Post Weekender Oxx said: "We want the ground riding fast next week at Epsom, with the obvious questions about his stamina limitations.

"I have to be honest and say I rate him only 50-50 to stay. If there was a wet week leading up to the race and plenty of cut, I would seriously consider not running him."

The ground at Epsom is currently "just on the softer side of good", according to an estimate from clerk of the course Andrew Cooper.

Jeremy Noseda plans to run two-time Park Stakes winner Arabian Gleam in the Timeform Jury Stakes over six furlongs at Haydock on Saturday.

"I am happy with the way Arabian Gleam has wintered. He worked well on Newmarket racecourse last Saturday and I feel he will put up a solid show," the trainer told his website www.jeremynoseda.com.

"The task is made more difficult by his five pounds penalty. Having said that, we are more than happy to be carrying that following his game performance to win the Park Stakes for the second year running."

Peter Chapple-Hyam plans to run Tariq and Al Qasi in the race, telling peterchapplehyam.com: "Tariq is in good form and the seven-furlong trip is ideal. The likely soft ground will be no problem - he doesn't mind getting his toe in. I'm hoping he'll be very competitive. Al Qasi likes cut in the ground and is ready for his first run of the season."

Jockey Richard Hills has been booked by Mick Channon to ride Montaff in the Investec Derby. Channon is expecting big improvement from the colt, who was second in the Lingfield Derby Trial, telling his official website: "He'd been held up with a splint problem and so was entitled to need it at Lingfield.

"He was carrying condition, and I'd expect him to improve between five and 10 lengths. It was his first look at a racecourse this season, and going to Epsom is just the ticket. The timing is dead right and it will enable him to get a feel of the track.I'll let him swing down the hill behind his lead.

"I'll eat my hat if he doesn't surprise a few people in the Derby."

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Tuesday 26 May 2009

Brian Meehan's Lady Of The Desert is a 16-1 chance for the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot after bursting clear of her rivals to win the EBF ladbrokes.com Maiden Fillies' Stakes at Leicester on Tuesday. The Rahy filly is a daughter of Queen's Logic.

Trainer William Muir is being patient with John Porter Stakes winner Enroller, who has the Group Two Hardwicke Stakes as his target. Muir told PA Sport: "My horses have hit a flat spot. I thought his coat had gone very dull so we bypassed Chester [Ormonde Stakes] to see if it was any better for the York race [Yorkshire Cup], but it got actually worse.

"My horses have then gone through a stage where they not in such great nick. His coat looked pretty ordinary so I thought I wouldn't ruin him as I know he's good.

"If he'd have come right I would have run him this week at Sandown in the Henry II and then that would have given me an option of going for the Gold Cup or the Hardwicke.

"I'm not happy with him yet, but he'll go for the Hardwicke if he comes right by then and Group Ones from there on in. They are not buzzing and not quite right, I've had one or two cough. If you've got a good horse you've got to look after him otherwise you're in trouble. I'm sure I'll reap the benefit from being patient with him. I've got plenty of time before Royal Ascot and he's still doing steady canters."

Irish 1000 Guineas winner Again is a short price to win the Oaks, but trainer David Wachman warns that the race might come too soon for the Danehill Dancer filly. He told PA Sport: "She seems to have come out of her race fine and we're happy with her," said trainer David Wachman, who was celebrating his first Classic victory. We'll see how she is over the next couple of days before we make any hard and fast decisions.

"The owners will look at where their other horses are going and we'll see what suits everybody. It was very holding ground on Sunday, so it was tough for any horse."

Sir Michael Stoute has also cautioned that Sandown winner Leocorno is far from certain to line up at Epsom.

John Oxx plans to keep Irish 2000 Guineas second Rayeni on his preferred soft going. "He's come out of the race fine. He's 100%, there are no problems with him," Oxx told PA Sport. "There are no plans just yet. It depends on the weather, because he needs it soft."

Connections have confirmed that Hong Kong star sprinter Sacred Kingdom will be supplemented to the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, for which he is 5-1 favourite.

Clive Brittain plans to run his Oaks d'Italia second Wadaat in the Investec Oaks after she showed her run in the Lingfield Oaks Trial was not her true running. Brittain said: "The French jockey (Stephane Pasquier) did not put her in the race at Lingfield. He said she didn't act on the course but they don't if they are 10 lengths behind turning for home.

"I'm not making any excuses for yesterday, but I think if the winner had come to us a furlong out, we would have been a winner. Having said that she's gained a lot of experience. The reason she went to Lingfield was for experience but she didn't get any so I had to send her to Milan to get it."