Grand Duke designs for Roicead

Brendan Duke is mapping out an ambitious 2012 campaign for Roicead following his fine third at the Curragh last weekend.

The four-year-old has risen from a mark of 74 at the start of the season to his current rating of 108 after turning in a string of fine performances.

A winner at the Curragh in May, he added a further two handicap victories before stepping up to Group Three level last time.

Roicead ran a brave race in trying to make all in the Flying Five Stakes before being swamped in the final furlong and eventually finishing a two-length third behind Amour Propre.

Duke was highly satisfied with that performance and is now planning a high-profile schedule next term.

“We have plenty of plans for him, but they are all geared towards next season,” he said.

“He’s a big, gross horse that takes plenty of training so when he’s in training, he’s in training – there isn’t really an easy day for him.

“I’d always had in mind to finish off the year in a Group race and he did that on Sunday, so he will go off on his holidays now with a view to next year.

“He was a bit unlucky in that the ground went a bit dead on him as he is at his best on fast ground, but he ran a good race and has come out of it really well.

“We will be looking at all the big sprints for him next year. The King’s Stand at Royal Ascot would be the aim and I would look to start him off in the Greenlands (Curragh).

“He does like fast ground and you usually get the conditions on the straight course at Ascot.

“All being well, I’m hopeful he will improve for another winter and I think there’s more to come.

“Five and a half furlongs is probably his optimum trip but at the start of the year we were having to jump and run as he didn’t like horses around him, but now he has his confidence, we can ride him more to see out six furlongs.”