Soapy Goodwood-bound

Soapy Danger, an easy winner at last week’s Royal Ascot meeting, could head to Goodwood en-route to a crack at the Ladbrokes St Leger.

Trainer Mark Johnston has set his sights on the final Classic of the season with his Queen’s Vase victor but he could be tempted to try his charge against older horses in the ABN Amro Goodwood Cup.

Johnston sent out Double Eclipse to finish a neck second to his year-older brother Double Honour in the Group Two race in 1995 and he would be hoping for a similar show from Soapy Danger.

“We have yet to discuss it (with the owner) but I think at the time the idea was that having won a Group race, he would probably step back in trip to try to prove himself at shorter distances at the same level,” explained the Middleham handler.

“But I think the Goodwood Cup might be too good to miss. Perhaps he might go there but the long term target is the St Leger

“Double Eclipse ran in the Goodwood race as a three-year-old and was only beaten because his brother was there. We’re sure that three-year-olds can run well in it.”

Soapy Danger’s Ascot win was a huge step up on his previous form that had seen him win three of his six starts and finish second on the other three occasions.

“I always thought he was a decent horse. He has this very laid-back attitude and didn’t really ever work impressively in a gallop but he never got behind,” Johnston told Racing UK.

“He was always there no matter what we worked him with and he could always keep up. Ascot was his most impressive performance as he found another gear at the end. He came out of it really, really well.