Doors open for in-demand Cover

The evergreen 11-year-old, trained by David Griffiths at Bawtry, showed he was as good as ever when winning the Beverley Bullet for the second year running on Saturday.

Connections now have three races to choose from, with the Dubai International Airport World Trophy at Newbury, which he lifted last year, and the Mercury Stakes at Dundalk, which he won in 2015 and 2017, also in the frame.

However, the Flying Five has been upgraded to the top level from Group Two status and that could prove the decisive factor.

“He’s in the Flying Five, which is a Group One now. He was third behind Sole Power three years ago. That’s an option. It’s an early-closing race and we entered him about a month ago,” said Griffiths.

“Obviously there’s the World Trophy at Newbury, the Group Three at the end of the month. He won that last year and then there’s the race in October at Dundalk, which is now a Group Three. He’s won that twice.

“I think they are the three options we will look at.

“A Group One would be unbelievable. If he did win a Group One in two weeks’ time, I’d say he’d be retired straight after that.

“I’ll discuss it with the owner. He’s in there and he’s got form at the Curragh. Ideally I’d like to go to the Curragh.”

James Garfield and Sir Dancealot, meanwhile, have both been supplemented for the 32Red Sprint Cup at Haydock on Saturday. George Scott’s stable star James Garfield came mighty close to claiming Group One glory in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville last month when mown down late by Freddy Head’s Polydream, after which Scott stated his intentions to head for Merseyside.

The David Elsworth-trained Sir Dancealot has won the Criterion Stakes at Newmarket, the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood and the Hungerford Stakes at Newbury this season, all over seven furlongs.

He, too, has been added to the Sprint Cup field at a cost of £15,600.

Last year’s winner Harry Angel is the likely big-race favourite as he prepares to make his first appearance since suffering an injury at Royal Ascot.

Aidan O’Brien has left in Intelligence Cross, Spirit Of Valor, Fleet Review, Gustav Klimt and Sioux Nation, while his son Joseph is responsible for the only other Irish-trained contender in Speak In Colours.

Other leading hopes include the William Haggas-trained Tasleet, Kevin Ryan’s Brando, Henry Candy’s Limato and The Tin Man from James Fanshawe’s yard.

Enable remains on course to make her eagerly-awaited seasonal reappearance in the 188Bet September Stakes at Kempton on the same day.

The race has been reopened until Tuesday morning after just nine entries were received for the Group Three contest over a mile- and-a-half.

The brilliant filly, trained by John Gosden, has been out of action since winning the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October, and next month’s French showpiece is again the main target.

“She’s been fine and she’s been reported in good form,” said Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for owner Khalid Abdullah.

“I’ve seen her several times and she looks in good shape. She’s done everything correctly, as John would have wanted.

“We’re really looking forward to it.”