WONDERFUL PLAN
Star filly bound for Ascot
DAVID MENUISIER will stick to his plan and run his star filly Wonderful Tonight in next month’s King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes rather than Saturday’s Coral-eclipse.
The four-year-old is among seven five-day entries for the Sandown headliner but is unlikely to run despite the depleted field.
“I kept her in because there were only seven left in,” explained Menuisier. “It’s just to have a look in a couple of days time.
“At the moment it’s 99 per cent no go, basically. The plan is to go for the King George at
Ascot as it gives us more time since she last ran and it’s her trip.
“It’s so strange to see just seven horses confirmed in a race like this, three that don’t really have any hope. I don’t really understand this. People complain about prize money and there are only seven entries in this race.”
John Gosden has ruled out Lord North due to a throat infection but will be represented by last year’s French Derby winner Mishriff, the 13-8 favourite with the race sponsor.
St Mark’s Basilica, winner of this year’s French Derby for Aidan O’brien, is 7-4. O’brien also has Armory, 14-1, and Japan, 20-1, entered. The recent downpour that has hit the Esher track, described as having good to soft ground, will delight connections of Addeybb, an 11-4 chance.
“We hope very much that it will be very soft,” said his trainer William Haggas. “If the word soft is in the going, he will probably run as he needs to run.” Addeybb, successful for the second time in Australia in April, pleased Haggas after galloping at Newmarket on Friday. El Drama, out with the washing behind St Mark’s Basilica in the French classic, is a 33-1 chance.
WILLIAM BUICK made it 50 for the season with a treble at Lingfield yesterday. on Cotai Beauty, Faustus and Six Til Twelve.