Prince return leaves Millman wary

Rod Millman hopes Hawridge Prince is forward enough to maintain his winning run when he reappears in the Weatherbys Bank “Further Flight” Stakes at Nottingham on Wednesday.

The Polar Falcon gelding signed off for 2006 when landing a hat-trick with an emphatic six-length romp in Group Three company at Newmarket.

And while Devon-based Millman is pleased with the subsequent progress his charge has made, he admits this first assignment is a testing one.

“He’s had a good winter but he’s obviously a horse whose target is the Gold Cup (Royal Ascot, June 21) and it’s very early in the season,” he explained.

“Basically, he’s a horse that takes a couple of races to come into his own. I’m not saying he won’t run well, but he is giving them all 6lb.

“Normally this race isn’t quite as competitive as this and I suppose there are a lot of trainers using it as a stepping stone.”

Among the opposition is Jamie Osborne’s Geordieland, runner-up to Yeats in the Goodwood Cup last year, and The Last Drop, who found only Sixties Icon too smart in the St Leger.

“My horse is pretty straight but this isn’t his Gold Cup and hopefully this race will bring him along for it,” added Millman.