Ouija Board pleases Spencer
Spencer last sat on her in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at York when she could only trail in a well-beaten seventh of eight.
After that the Ed Dunlop-trained daughter of Cape Cross was found to have a small stress fracture to her near-fore cannonbone.
But the four-year-old multiple Group One winner is now well down the recovery path and stepped out on the Cambridge Road polytrack for a spin under Spencer.
The jockey said: “It was just a routine gallop. She did everything that Mr Dunlop wanted me to do with her and he was pleased.
“She did everything right. Everything seems to be in working order and hopefully she is on the way back now.
“It was nice to ride her in a piece of work. She’s obviously a high-class horse.”
Meanwhile, Dubawi received a glowing report from connections after completing his preparation for the Prix Jacques le Marois under big-race partner Kerrin McEvoy in Newmarket.
The Group One showdown with Divine Proportions at Deauville on Sunday will be the first run for the Godolphin colt since his third in the Vodafone Derby, with the son of Dubai Millennium dropping back in distance to his Classic-winning trip of a mile.
“He worked really well and I’m happy with him”, said trainer Saeed bin Suroor.. He is ready to run on Sunday and is in good form and in good shape.”
McEvoy reported: “He did a nice piece of work with Naheef, nothing too hard, and he felt fine and is ready to go on Sunday.”
Divine Proportions’ task as she takes her latest step along the road to greatness became clearer with the first forfeit for the mile showpiece.
The all-aged feature represents the unbeaten filly’s toughest test to date, with Queen Anne Stakes winner Valixir also among the nine to have stood their ground.
The latter, owned by the Aga Khan, has emerged as one of Europe’s top milers this term and Christophe Soumillon’s mount tuned up for the Marois with a facile win in Group Three company last month.
The presence of Deauville specialist Whipper, who won the Marois 12 months ago and showed himself at the top of his game with victory in last weekend’s Prix Maurice de Gheest, will further ensure there is no hiding place for his half-sister on the La Touques straight.
A fast pace should be guaranteed with no fewer than four potential pacemakers in the line-up as Godolphin left in Council Member and Etesaal, while the Niarchos family will select either Yellow Purple and Semarang to serve Divine Proportions.
John Gosden’s Sleeping Indian completes the possibles for the race, which is sponsored by the Niarchos’ Haras de Fresnay le Buffard stud.
