Beaver Patrol targets Steward's Cup

Eve Johnson Houghton plans to give Beaver Patrol a short holiday before preparing him for the Bluesquare.com Stewards’ Cup on August 2.

Fifth in the Glorious Goodwood handicap last year, the six-year-old is a regular in these sprint events and has been allotted 9st 4lb.

He finished first home on his side of the track – and second overall – in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot two starts ago but did not reproduce his form a week later in a handicap at Windsor.

“I ran him too quickly at Windsor but he’s come out of that fine and I’ll just give him a little break until Goodwood,” said Oxfordshire-based Johnson Houghton.

“He didn’t get a clear run at Windsor, which didn’t help either, but Stephen Carson didn’t give him a hard race so hopefully he’ll be fine.

“He was fifth in the Stewards’ Cup a year ago and while he’s running off a higher weight this time, he deserves to be.

“Hopefully Mick Kinane will be over and will be able to ride the horse for us as he gets on with him particularly well.”

The William Haggas-trained King’s Apostle, a nose behind Beaver Patrol when third in the Wokingham, is the current 8-1 favourite with the sponsors for a race that has attracted 127 entries.