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Beach Bunny to go for Nassau.
Having been carried across the track before losing out by a short head to Dar re mi in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh on her last outing, connections of Beach Bunny have today confirmed the daughter of High Chaparal will try to win the ten furlong Group 1 Nassau Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on 01 August.
Teal very happy with Steel Tango ahead of York race.
Trainer Roger Teal is delighted with the home form being shown by Steel Tango since his career best fifth in the Coral Eclipse at Sandown, and he is confident his progressive four year old will put in a big run in Saturday's Group 2 Skybet York Stakes. Commenting about the chances for his stable star this afternoon, Teal said, "He has never looked better, and the long straight at York will suit, as he takes time to get into full flow".
"On his day, I believe there is a Group 1 victory in Steel Tango, but for the time being, I would settle for a win on Saturday at the Knavesmire".
Meld outing for Casual Conquest.
Dermot Weld has confirmed this afternoon Casual Conquest will continue his preparation for the Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe with a run in the Meld Stakes at Leopardstown next week. Although he will have to give weight all round at Leopardstown, Weld is confident continuing soft underfoot conditions will suit Casual Conquest, and he is hopeful of another success to boost the confidence of his four year old prior to his intended target at the end of the season.
Main challengers remain in Totesport Mile.
Sixty three horses are still involved at today's latest decleration stage for the Totesport Mile at Glorious Goodwood on 31 July. Anti Post favourite Acrostic is joined in today's list by Bunbury Cup winner Plum Pudding, Royal Ascot's Buckingham Palace Stakes winner Giganticus, who later finished last to Plum Pudding at Newmarket, represents Barry Hills, while former Sussex Stakes winner Court Masterpiece is joined in the remaining line-up by another Goodwood specialist Spectate - the latter having won the Totesport Mile in 2006 when trained by Sir Mark Prescott.
Prendergast keen as Brittain defers Jira bid.
With heavy going likely at Leopardstown on Thursday evening, Kevin Prendergast is very keen on the chances of his filly Alshahbaa in the Group 3 Silver Flash Stakes. Although she will have to defeat the Aidan O'Brien pair of Famous and Cabaret, Prendergast feels her four length win of a Curragh Maiden in heavy ground makes her ideally suited for the potential conditions on Thursday evening.
Due to the likely testing ground at Leopardstown, Clive Brittain has decided to reroute Newmarket Listed Empress Stakes victor Jira to the Group 3 Princess Margaret Diamond Developers Stakes at Ascot on Saturday week.
Prix du Cadran is main target for Voila Ici.
This morning, Italian trainer Vittorio Caruso confirmed yesterday's Group 2 Prix Maurice de Nieuil Over victor Voila Ici will now be prepared for a return to Longchamp for the Group 1 Prix du Cadran at the 'Arc Meeting' in October.
Godolphin seem keen on Celebration Mile success.
Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin organisation would at face value seem keen on winning this year's Celebration Mile at Goodwood on 29 August, for at today's decleration stage, they hold twelve of the forty one entries.
Recent purchases Delegator and Evasive are currently accompanied in the line-up by Gladiatorus, the latter looking to rebuild his reputation after a lack-lustre performance in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, while their most interesting entry could be Rio de la Plata, who has not be seen since winning a Group 1 in France last season.
Clive Cox has given progressive Beacon Lodge an entry, but his participation could rest on how well he performs in the EBF Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on 29 July. Similarly, Coral Eclipse runner-up Rip Van Winkle leads the current seven entries from Ballydoyle, but his participation could also rest on how he runs in the Sussex Stakes.
Ascot Summer Mile victor Aqlaam is definitely progressive, and it is believed William Haggas is hopeful of preparing his four year old to be at the top of his form for the Celebration Mile.
The sprinter J J the Jetplane, last seen finishing third in the Darley July Cup, also has an entry, and connections are believed to be intent on giving him a run at Group 1 level over a mile, and Goodwood's downhill five furlong finish may well provide the ideal testing ground for a horse with potential stamina doubts.
Knight thinks Uvinza can reverse the placings.
The last time William Knight's Uvinza came up againnst Henry Cecil's Flame of Gibraltar, the latter had a length and three quarter advantage as the two finished third and fourth behind Godolphin's Flying Cloud in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot. But Knight is confident his filly has come-on since her last run, and with the probable advantage of some cut at Newmarket on Saturday, the handler believes Uvinza can reverse the placings when the two fillies meet again in this weekend's Listed Plantation Stud Stakes over the July course. Speaking earlier today, Knight said,
"This Listed prize was always our intention, and our filly has definitely come-on since her last run, and I would be hopeful she will reverse the Ribblesdale placings with Flame of Gibraltar".
Tipperary give early notice of inspection.
With the track already reported as being heavy, and with more rain forecast for the remainder of the week, officials at Tipperary have announced they will inspect the course at 8.00 am on Friday morning ahead of the intended seven race card due to take place this coming Saturday.
Pressing for a German victory?
Since attaning victory at Group 2 level at San Siro racecourse in Italy at the end of May, trainer Michael Jarvis has been very happy with the form being shown by his six year old globe-trotter Pressing, and connections have decided to have another tilt at the Group 1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis-Bayerisches Zuchtrennen in Munich on 26 July.
In last year's running of the race, Pressing finished a two length second to Linngari, and Jarvis is hopeful his charge's good form on the home gallops will translate into victory in this year's contest.
American super filly to race in New Jersey.
Connections of treble Grade 1 winning filly Rachel Alexandra have confirmed her next outing will be in the one million dollar Haskell Invitational Handicap at Monmouth Park in New Jersey on 02 August.
Ayr re-schedule races as trainers comment.
As a result of the serious pile-up incident at the home turn on 13 July, and following subsequent talks with the BHA Racecourse Inspectorate, Ayr racecourse are re-sheduling next Monday's fixture to exclude all races with a proposed trip in excess of six furlongs. The BHA have given permission to add three additional sprint fixtures, so the entire card will be run on the straight course, and will include races over five and six furlongs.
Meanwhile, respected trainer Mark Johnston has commented on the Ayr incident in today's Racing Post, and he makes two concrete proposals;
Firstly, Johnston believes the Ayr incident was an inevitable consequence of the habit of watering of dry surfaces by racecourse ground staff prior to race meetings. The Yorkshire based trainer thinks watering should be limited, with final watering taking place no later than forty eight hours prior to a race meeting. Johnston feels this should help to eradicate the problem of 'false ground' on race days.
However, if the policy of watering is to continue, then Johnston thinks british horses should have the ability to wear racing plates with a toe grab. This anti slip tool is used in American racing, where many races are run on dirt, but it is a device which is currently banned by the BHA in british racing.
Parisian thoughts.
The hype this morning is all about Cavalryman's victory in the Grand Prix de Paris, but with no participation from Sea The Stars or Fame and Glory, it is difficult to assess the true value of the form. The runner up Age of Aquarius is a good yardstick, but he will probably be better over a mile and three quarters. Third placed Mastery did win the Italian Derby, but he found Holberg too good at Royal Ascot.
Based on our assessment of last evening's race, we think Victor Chandler's current quote of 16/1 for the Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe is about right for cavalryman, particularly as trainer Andre Fabre believes stable mate Cutlass Bay will be the better Group race winning option come the soft ground conditions in the autumn.
Perhaps of more interest yesterday evening was the Fabre winning juvenile Colonial. In both his starts so far he has dismissed his rivals with ease, and already winning seven furlong Listed contests at this stage of the season suggests he will make up into a top class middle distance horse as a three year old.
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