Cecil set for Newbury

Top stayer Sergeant Cecil will kick off his campaign at Newbury on April 21.

The eight-year-old returned to action in the Dubai Tennis Championships Stakes (registered as the John Porter) last term, and will begin this season in the same Group Three event.

“He’s had a lovely winter and I’m really pleased with him. If anything, he’s come back bigger and stronger than he ever has before,” said handler Rod Millman.

“He goes for the John Porter at the Greenham meeting at Newbury, which he went for last year, but he’s probably a bit more forward in his campaign than he was last year.

“He’ll basically have a similar campaign and if we do half as well as last year, we will be very pleased.”

Sergeant Cecil scored three times in 2006, when the Group One Prix Du Cadran topped earlier victories in the Doncaster and Lonsdale Cups.

Millman also has the highly-progressive Hawridge Prince to go to war with this season, but says he will try to keep the two apart whenever possible.

“You’ve got to get them there on the day but the Gold Cup is the target for both of them,” he added.

“As anyone knows it’s hard to keep horses sound until then but that’s the target.

“We have different races for them before that and it would be lucky to get them both to Ascot in good form.”