Sergeant may head back to France

Sergeant Cecil may try for more Group One glory in France in the Prix Royal-Oak later this month after raising the roof at Longchamp yesterday.

The seven-year-old added another chapter to his amazing story with a magnificent victory against the cream of Europe’s stayers in the Prix du Cadran.

In 2005, he made history by becoming the first horse to win the Northumberland Plate, Ebor and Cesarewitch in the same year and this season he showed he could mix it with the very best, winning the Group Two Lonsdale Cup and Doncaster Cup immediately prior to his successful jaunt across the Channel.

His proud trainer Rod Millman is now considering taking his stable star back to Paris for the French St Leger on October 22.

“If he’s OK we might go for that,” said Millman. “Our first impressions were he’s won a Group One and we’ll rest on that now, but there aren’t going to be many races for him next year with him carrying a Group One penalty.

“He’s obviously in good form with himself and a lot of the other horses are worn out at the moment. If he’s OK we’ll have a go at the Royal-Oak.

“He won’t run unless we think he’s A1. We’ll pay the first instalment (of the entry fee) on Wednesday, although it will be too soon to say we’re definitely going.”

Next year’s objective is the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in which Sergeant Cecil was only fifth behind Yeats this summer.

“The Gold Cup is obviously the main target next year, but we might change our pattern a bit,” the Cullompton trainer continued.

“He’s better when he runs regularly and he’d had quite a long break for him before Royal Ascot this season.

“He’ll be another year older and we’ll have to make sure he’s still good enough but he’s not gone backwards yet.”

Millman reported Sergeant Cecil to be in good form.

“He’s fine,” said Millman. “He ate up last night and got off the ferry at Dover at lunchtime. He should be back in the yard about 6pm.”