Millman eyeing Bosque bid

Improving three-year-old sprinter El Bosque will take on older horses for the first time in the Skybet

Dash at York on Saturday.

Rod Millman’s charge bolted up by seven lengths on testing ground at Ripon on his last start.

And despite a 9lb rise in the handicap, the Devon handler is keen to see his charge tackle more seasoned-campaigners.

“El Bosque is an intended runner at York on Saturday,” said Millman.

“He won very well last time, but I’m not sure if that race was quite as good as it looked. The handicapper has put us up 9lb, which is a bit of a worry.

“He handled the ground well while some of the others clearly did not.

“I was surprised with how well he won. We did fancy him strongly – that was the furthest I’ve ever sent a horse before – but I couldn’t have predicted he would score that easily.

“Taking on older horses for the first time is never easy. I’m hoping James (Millman, son) will be able to claim off him – he knows the horse and has won on him before, although nothing has been decided yet.

“El Bosque is rated 103 now and is quite hard to place. He would still need to improve a fair bit to make the step up to Listed company, but this race will tell us more.

“He’s surprised me how he has kept on improving and hopefully there is more to come.”

El Bosque is the 9-1 joint-favourite with the sponsors for the Skybet Dash.