Sergeant to step back up

Sergeant Cecil will step back up in trip for next month’s Weatherbys Insurance Lonsdale Cup at York after failing to strike a blow at Ascot.

The eight-year-old finished sixth of seven runners in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes as he moved down from his usual staying races to tackle a mile and a half.

Although Sergeant Cecil is entered in Thursday’s ABN Amro Goodwood Cup, trainer Rod Millman has ruled out a quick reappearance.

He said: “He’s fine and out in the paddock this morning, having a bit of a rest.

“Obviously I was hoping he would run a bit better than that but he just wasn’t quick enough over the trip really.

“We just thought it was worth a try once and given everything that was written in the run-up to the race, you would have been sick if you hadn’t been in.

“He won’t run in the Goodwood Cup and we will give him a break and prepare him for the Lonsdale at York.

“I don’t think we will try him again over the trip and we’ll probably stick to the staying races now.”

Although some have suggested this year’s King George lacked a little quality, Millman believes it was a true Group One.

He added: “Everyone was saying it was a weak race but I thought Dylan Thomas ran a fantastic race and Scorpion had set a good pace.”