Eustace up for the cups

James Eustace has big plans for Orcadian, who makes his seasonal reappearance at Newbury tomorrow in the Dubai Tennis Championships Stakes.

The four-year-old was progressive towards the end of last season, picking up the St Simon Stakes at the Berkshire venue on his final outing when apparently relishing the step up in trip and bottomless conditions.

Although hopeful of a good run in tomorrow’s mile-and-a-half contest – better known as the John Porter Stakes – the Newmarket handler believes he could develop into a Cup horse.

“I am very pleased with him and he is coming along nicely,” said Eustace.

“The ground was heavy when he won the St Simon, but that is not necessarily what he needs.

“His two-year-old form was all on fast ground, and it was the step up to a mile and a half that made the difference.

“He made the running that day, and although we are not definitely saying we will do the same again, we might just let him bowl along.

“We know he goes on heavy ground, so there is a good chance he will stay further.

“We have entered him in the Yorkshire Cup as a first target, and might look at the Ormonde at Chester. The long-term aim is the Irish St Leger, but that is a long way away.”

A field of 14 will line up for the contest, including John Gosden’s much-touted Day Flight, who won at Kempton recently, Geoff Wragg’s dual Group winner Asian Heights and last year’s victor Dubai Success.

The going at Newbury is currently good to soft all round.