HORSE RACING: King to enter Raya Star into Coral Cup
6:00am Tuesday 21st February 2012 in Latest Sport News
RAYA Star will be given an entry in the Coral Cup as well as the Country Hurdle at Cheltenham after his fine run on Friday.
Alan King’s Ladbroke Hurdle winner finished third in the rearranged Betfair Hurdle and will now head to the Festival.
He is likely to run in the County Hurdle over two miles, but King has not ruled out the possibility of stepping him up in trip for the Coral Cup “He travelled great and, though I am making no excuses, it’s amazing that twice now he has had slow-run races, whereas we have always thought he wants an end-to-end gallop,” said King.
“In all probability Raya Star will now run in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham, but we will also enter him for the Coral Hurdle as we have always felt that he would be suited by a step up in trip.”
Another King inmate with Festival aspirations is Balder Succes after the juvenile beat his elders emphatically at Ascot on Saturday.
“He will have to go now,” added the Barbury Castle handler on his website.
“He is a lovely horse and was very good, but whether we go for the Triumph or take on his seniors again in the Supreme Novices’ we will decide nearer the time.”
- TEDDY Grimthorpe would be “very surprised” were Frankel and Black Caviar to meet at Royal Ascot.
Black Caviar stretched her unbeaten record to 19 at the weekend, but the Australian sensation was racing over five furlongs, having run over seven furlongs the week before.
The six-furlong Golden Jubilee Stakes has been the long-held plan for Black Caviar should she travel to England in the summer, although she is believed likely to get an entry in the Queen Anne Stakes over a mile.
Sir Henry Cecil has stated his intent on stepping Frankel up to 10 furlongs this season, but he may still run in the Queen Anne after he reappears at that trip in the Lockinge at Newbury in May.
“Black Caviar is clearly exceptional, but I can’t speak for them regarding what race she will run in at Ascot. I did speak to Peter Moody (her trainer) at Flemington but only briefly,” said Grimthorpe, owner Prince Khalid Abdullah’s racing manager.
“If it happens, it happens, but it feels like we’ve got slightly different agendas.
“Sir Henry is looking at stretching Frankel this year. We hope to start off in the Lockinge and then we have two options at Royal Ascot. Either the Queen Anne or the Prince of Wales’s.
“I can understand there is tremendous goodwill out there for the two to get together.
“One is the best horse in the southern hemisphere and one is the best horse in the northern hemisphere - they are the two best horses in the world.
“But we don’t want to mess up our season for the sake of one race.
“If we do decide to run in the Queen Anne and Black Caviar runs in it also, then so be it.
“But Sir Henry may decide that a mile and a quarter is the way for him this season.
“It would be a great clash, but I’d be very surprised were it to happen.”
