Night hoping for more Dubai glory

William Knight hopes Illustrious Blue can plunder another big prize in Dubai before connections map out a British campaign for the summer.

The progressive four-year-old lifted the valuable Derrinstown Stud Trophy earlier in the month under a confident ride from Paul Doe.

Knight now hopes his charge can make the transition to Group level but is concerned Illustrious Blue might not get a run in his upcoming target.

Of his recent success, the Newmarket trainer said: “It was the plan since last November and it’s just nice to have gone over and for the plan to have come off.

“I thought it would be ideal for him and looking at the way he won, I think he could probably step up to a mile and a quarter now.

“There is another race on the 22nd (of February) but we’ll probably give him a little more time and go for a Group Two on Super Thursday.

“There is a slight concern that we might not get into the race, but if he doesn’t we’ll come back home and probably give him an entry in the Winter Derby,” he told At The Races.

Illustrious Blue is also entered in the ever-competitive William Hill Lincoln on March 31, but Knight feels he is unlikely to tackle the traditional cavalry charge.

“I’d say that’s very unlikely now as he’ll have a penalty and we’ll probably have to step up to Group company with him,” he added.