Harbinger to take King George test
Sir Michael Stoute’s colt, owned by Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, turned in a hugely impressive display in last weekend’s Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot.
The four-year-old will now return to the Berkshire track for his first Group One assignment on July 24.
Speaking on www.highclere.co.uk, Stoute said: “He has come out of last week’s race in good form and cantered this morning.
“He deserves to take his chance and, as we saw on Saturday, he was well-suited to Ascot’s galloping track.”
Highclere’s racing manager Harry Herbert added: “We are all thrilled that Sir Michael is keen to run Harbinger in the King George and what a race it promises to be, especially taking on such an impressive Derby winner in Workforce.
“This will be Highclere’s first runner in the race and all of our owners could not be more excited at the prospect.”
Aidan O’Brien meanwhile is confident Remember When can build on her promising Oaks performance in the Audi Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh tomorrow.
The daughter of Danehill Dancer was a fine third at Epsom earlier this month but has still to find the winner’s enclosure after four starts.
O’Brien has been pleased with her recent homework and can see plenty of similarities between this year’s representative and 2007 Pretty Polly winner Peeping Fawn.
“She’s in good form and ran very well in the Oaks,” O’Brien told At The Races.
“She came there like she was going to run a big race and just got a little bit tired.
“She ran a little bit like Peeping Fawn did when she was second in the Oaks before she went on to win the Pretty Polly.
“I suppose there are similarities between the two and Remember When is still a maiden, but we hope she runs a nice race.”
Tommy Stack’s Lolly For Dolly is turned out again quickly after her fine fourth in the Sandringham Handicap at Royal Ascot last week.
Stack’s son and assistant Fozzy said: “She’s in good form and seems to have taken the race from Ascot well.
“Once we knew Sariska and Strawberrydaiquiri weren’t coming over, we decided we’d take our chance.
“She ran well at Ascot in what was a very good race and she had top-weight as well. It also looked as if another furlong or two wouldn’t be a problem for her. It’s a Group One race and if we finish in the first three it will be a great result.”
Oaks sixth Akdarena, Kevin Prendergast’s Crystal Gal and Stan Moore’s Kinky Afro are the others among the three-year-old brigade.
