Lucarno team keep options open

Last year’s St Leger winner Lucarno has a quartet of possible options for his first start of the season.

The most immediate is Sunday’s Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh but nothing has been set in stone yet although he is among 11 horses left in the Group One over an extended mile and a quarter at the confirmation stage.

John Gosden’s colt, who also won the Great Voltigeur Stakes, will not follow the oft-trodden path of Leger winners heading for the staying races and instead has the top-class middle-distance contests on the agenda.

James Wigan, racing manager for his owner George Strawbridge, said: “He’s got four different engagements at the moment – the Tattersalls, the race at Sandown (Brigadier Gerard Stakes), a Group Two at Chantilly and the Coronation Cup.

“The horse is very well, but we are slightly sitting on the fence at this stage.”

A three-strong British party for the Tattersalls is completed by Brian Meehan’s Red Rocks, who made a successful reappearance at Lingfield recently, and Mick Channon’s Halicarnassus.

Irish Derby winner Soldier Of Fortune heads five possibles from Aidan O’Brien’s Ballydoyle stable backed up by Duke Of Marmalade, Mount Canyon, Red Rock Canyon and Song Of Hiawatha.

Jim Bolger has left in last season’s dual 1000 Guineas heroine Finsceal Beo, while Arch Rebel and Mooretown Lady complete the home team.