Rehana To Rule?
Conditions in the Canford Cliffs Irish EBF Athasi Stakes at Naas should be perfect for Rehana, according to trainer Mick Halford. She was a close-3rd, in the Leopardstown 1,000 Guineas Trial and has an entry for the Classic.
“She’s in very good form. We were very pleased with her first run of the year. She just got tired the last 100 yards.
“She will appreciate the fast ground. It’s a good race for her and we’re looking forward to a big run from her.
“It’s nice to get her out early and she’s got her ground.She’s always wanted fast ground. She’s not always had it so that will be good for her.”
Happy Hori
Noriyuki Hori was full of praise for Joao Moreira, winning jockey on-board Neorealism in the Audemars Piguet QEII Cup at Sha Tin. The Japanese trainer says he had full-confidence in the horse’s form.
“I had difficulty keeping his condition when he ran here in December, but learned a lot from that experience.
“I was completely happy that we would see the best of him today, as he had pleased Joao with his work on the training track this week. Joao is a legend here and that was one of the best big-race rides I’ve seen him make.
“We now have some international options but before deciding exactly where he’ll go, we need to see how he comes out of this and then discuss.”
Carr’s Charge On Course
Ruth Carr reckons that old-stager Dubai Dynamo can do another turn, in the Beverley Annual Badgeholders Handicap. The 12-year-old won this race in 2014 and the North Yorkshire trainer still believes he has the ability to win important contests.
“He’s in good form and ran pretty well at Redcar last time, I thought.
“He’s won this race before and I think he’s on the right sort of mark where he can go well – it was always going to be tough for him on a mark in the 80s at his age.
“He’ll need to be at his best to win at Beverley, of course, but the old boy has got plenty in his favour.”
Cox Hopes To Cash-In, At Newbury
Clive Cox is prepared to send My Dream Boat on a longer voyage and the Al Rayyan Aston Park Stakes, at Newbury (May 20th), looks a realistic target.
“I was very satisfied with his run at Sandown as a seasonal debut. I was pleased with the way he finished the race and it does confirm what we were talking about stepping him up to a mile and a half. That will be the plan with for him now.
“We’ve been so dry at home he has missed the last three weeks preparation on the grass, but he was not beaten from a fitness point of view, there was just a lack of early pace.
“He is another year older and the extra couple of furlongs will help. At Royal Ascot we will consider the mile-and-a-half race (Hardwicke) rather than the mile-and-a-quarter race (Prince of Wales’s Stakes) he won last year.
“I think we will look at the Aston Park at Newbury for him next if the ground there is not too quick.”
Join RaceBets And Claim Your Welcome Bonus Now!
