Rock in great shape for Ascot bid
The trainer will choose between the Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan on May 19 and the Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstown on June 7 for his classy stayer ahead of the Royal Ascot showpiece on June 20.
Oxx reports last year’s Goodwood Cup winner to have returned in great shape following a luckless run in the Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan.
“He’s come back sparkling. He didn’t really have a race. The saddle slipped and the jockey had a job just to stop the saddle going underneath,” he said.
“He didn’t have a race and only lost one kilo and he was as fresh as a daisy afterwards.
“We might run him in the Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan or the Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstown. We will try to give him a run before the Ascot Gold Cup.”
Saddler’s Rock was second in the Saval Beg last summer before finishing a close third behind Colour Vision in the Gold Cup.
Meanwhile, Harasiya could take on older fillies for her seasonal debut in the Canford Cliffs EBF Athasi Stakes at the Curragh on May 6.
Oxx’s charge is a Group Three winner as a two-year-old and her trainer wants to start her off at that level, although he feels seven-furlongs is the minimum distance for her.
“She’s a nice filly and did well for us last year,” said Oxx.
