Oxx eyes Guineas double
Throughout the winter Arazan was arguably Oxx’s number one Newmarket contender - according to the ante-post betting at least – but firm ground ruled the Aga Khan’s colt out of the Classic.
Now the Boylesports Irish Guineas at the Curragh in just over two weeks’ time is Arazan’s aim.
“We were keen to run Arazan at Newmarket and he’d been going very well at home and we would have expected a good run,” said Oxx.
“He may well go on fast ground in due course but we didn’t want to chance him on that and run the risk of jarring him up before the season had even started.
“With the Irish 2000 Guineas only three weeks later it didn’t make sense to risk it.
“That’ll be where he goes and we’ll see how he runs, it will be a good race and there are a few good horses that didn’t make Newmarket so it will be a tough race.
“We like him, he’s a good horse, he was a very good two-year-old. I didn’t think he ran up to form in the National Stakes when he was third so hopefully he’ll be there in the shake up.
“Sea The Stars’ run gives us a bit of hope because they work nicely together and over a mile we didn’t think there would be much between them,” he said.
Meanwhile, Patkai is set to warm up for the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot next month with a run in the Blue Square Henry II Stakes at Sandown.
The Group Two contest over an extended two miles on May 28 is the likely next port of call for the four-year-old, trained by Michael Stoute.
He made an impressive seasonal reappearance at Ascot last week with a nine-length romp in the Sagaro Stakes.
“Hopefully he’s all right, I’ve heard nothing negative about him,” said Peter Reynolds, manager of Ballymacoll Stud, who own the colt.
“We may have him out again soon, and it’s more likely he’ll run in the Henry II.
“He’s won over the trip the other day.”
The other option for Patkai before the Gold Cup is the Emirates Airline Yorkshire Cup at York on May 15, but that race is only over a mile and three-quarters.
