SUN MAIDEN SET FOR YORK AS IRISH OAKS BID SHELVED

SUN MAIDEN could be seen next at York after connections ruled her out of the Darley Irish Oaks at the Curragh on July 21. The beautifully-bred Frankel filly was fourth at Wolverhampton on her sole juvenile outing, before returning with an emphatic success in a novice event at Salisbury in May. Michael Stoute’s charge jumped markedly in class for the Ribblesdale Stakes after that and finished third to the Aidan O’Brien-trained Magic Wand. Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner Khalid Abdullah, said: ‘She is in good form from Ascot and we are considering the options for her, but she will not go for the Irish Oaks. We are probably looking at one of two races at York, either the Galtres Stakes or the Yorkshire Oaks. ‘She is still a very immature horse, but she ran very well at Ascot. She got pushed a little wide there, but ran a super race in what looked a pretty good renewal. That little bit of inexperience found her out. ‘I think she is an interesting filly for the future, but she needs to get a few miles on the clock.’