Rivals must Take Cover

TrAINer David Griffiths believes Take Cover has proved himself capable of claiming Group One glory in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York next month after a huge win for his stable in yesterday’s Qatar King George Stakes.

Blistering speed out of the starting stalls over this downhill track was decisive as Take Cover, a nine-year-old gelding owned by Norcroft Park Stud, added to his 2014 King George victory — he is the first horse ever to regain the title.

Few horses perform better at this Sussex venue. On his two other runs here, he was a narrow second to Muthmir in the 2015 King George and agonisingly beaten a nose by Seeking Magic in the 2013 Stewards’ Cup.

But Take Cover’s blinding speed also works well over York’s billiard-table flat five furlongs — he’s won twice in four runs.

Griffiths feels the nine-year-old must go close if he gets the breaks, something that didn’t happen last year when he broke out from under the starting stalls and had to be withdrawn.

The trainer, who runs Duke of Firenze in this afternoon’s Stewards’ Cup, said: ‘He loves it at York as well and has won there a couple of times. But it is a question of fractions and there is no margin for error in these races.

‘He just hasn’t had any luck in the Nunthorpe. The first time he ran, he hit his head on the stalls and then last year went under them.’

Yesterday’s neck-and-head win from Washington DC and Goldream for the 8-1 shot ridden by David Allan secured almost £177,000 in prize money — boosted by Qatari sponsorship — for former jockey Griffiths, who is based at Bawtry in South Yorkshire.

The sum is almost double what his entire string has ever won in a season. He said: ‘He is a flagship horse for us and this is huge for the owner, myself and the staff.’