Byron on course for Ascot
The ultra-consistent sprinter has picked up where he left off last season, finishing either first or second in his last four outings.
The two wins came in quick succession at Tipperary and Cork last month, while they were sandwiched between runner-up spots behind the progressive Maarek at Naas and at that same course behind One Spirit in the Owenstown Stud Stakes.
“The Wokingham has been the plan since for a while,” said Hogan. “He has been running well this season and he’s an improving horse.
“It was a good run this week but it was over seven furlongs and he didn’t quite see it out. A stiff six will be perfect and he’d prefer good ground.”
Meanwhile, Ger Lyons is considering the next plan of attack with One Spirit after she secured Listed honours at Naas last weekend.
The four-year-old ran a huge race to finish second to the Group One-winning Emulous on her reappearance in a Curragh Group Three, and confirmed that promise with victory in Sunday’s Owenstown Stud Stakes.
Lyons is now weighing up the best option for four-year-old. “There are lots of stakes-race options for her coming up. She’s in the Oak Tree Stakes at Goodwood, the Ballycorus Stakes at Leopardstown and a race at Sandown later on,” said the trainer.
“We’ll probably step her up to a Group Three now and see what we can do, but she did well the other day and showed her run behind Emulous was no fluke. She’s a lovely, straightforward filly, but she needs top of the ground.”
There are also options for Lyons’ stable star Lightening Pearl, with next week’s Ballyogan Stakes at Leopardstown the first of them.
“We’re looking at a race at York in July, but she’s in the July Cup as well,” said Lyons.
