Phoenix flying for Arlington fling
The Vodafone Derby-winning jockey teams up with the Andrew Balding-trained entire in the Grade One Arlington Million.
It will be the six-year-old’s first race since he suffered a leg injury when unplaced in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Newbury last summer.
“He’s in great order. I galloped him at Kempton a week ago in his last piece of week. He did it very well, it was a good time. I’m very, very happy with him,” said Dwyer .
“We took him to Kempton to give him a good gallop round. He went a walk around the paddock and did everything there without having a race. It was the closest thing to it.
“He’s in Chicago and he’s going to do a piece of work tomorrow morning. It will be his last little piece before Saturday.
“Obviously he’s been off the track a long time but he loves to travel abroad. He’s done us proud and it would be nice if he could run a big race again.
“He’s a professional – travelled all round the world – he knows what he’s doing, so hopefully he’ll run well.”
Andrew Balding may in America ahead of Phoenix Reach’s tit at Saturday’s Arlington Million’ but his stable continues in top form after Ollie George won the wbx.com – World Bet Exchange Handicap at Bath yesterday.
The colt, sent off the 6-5 favourite, was just touched off by a useful sort from Marcus Tregoning’s stable at Ascot last month and escaped any punishment from the handicapper.
Liam Keniry was always handy on the three-year-old and was still sitting pretty entering the straight as the majority of his contemporaries were rowing away. And after hitting the front there was no stopping the market leader, who was eased down near the finish for a two-and-a-half-length success over Rahy’s Crown.
Cool Ebony made it two from two at the track for County Durham trainer Michael Dods with a runaway four-length call over Signal Hill in the World Bet Exchange - wbx.com Handicap.
Signal Hill’s jockey Liam Jones was handed a five-day ban (August 19-23) for careless riding after allowing his mount to drift right, causing Shane Kelly to be unseated from Piano Player. Kelly suffered a suspected fractured hip.
