Hambleton trainer weighing up Smart move for Trees

The six-year-old continued on the upgrade at Newmarket on Saturday with an all-the-way win in the Group Three event, tactics famously deployed by the mighty Frankel in the 2000 Guineas.

Smart could run the Mind Games gelding in the Temple Stakes at Haydock on May 21 or head straight for the King’s Stand Stakes, with a decision set to be made in the next few days.

“He’s come out of the race absolutely bouncing,” said the Hambleton handler.

“We’ll decided in the next few days what’s next but he’s bright as a button and not jarred up or anything. We’re over the moon with him.

“He’s the sort of horse that loves to bowl along. That was the plan, we’ve won a Group race with him and we’ll see if we can go on from there. He’s in the mix with them now.

“There is talk of Overdose coming over for the Temple but the ground could be different by then. Ours has won on soft but he’s much better on quick ground because he’s got such blistering speed. We’ll see where we go but he’ll end up at Ascot.”

Sizing Europe and Big Zeb again face off in a mouthwatering clash for the Boylesports.com Champion Chase, which is the day one highlight of the Punchestown festival in Ireland.

Big Zeb won the 2010 Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham but finished runner-up this year to Henry de Bromhead’s stable star.

Yet trainer Colm Murphy is quietly confident that Barry Geraghty can conjure a winning run out of Big Zeb.

“He’s been very good since Cheltenham. He came out of the Queen Mother very well,” said Murphy.

“Hopefully it will all go well. We’re taking on Sizing Europe again and it’s 1-1 at the minute and obviously we are hoping we come out on top this time.

“Thankfully he loves this good ground so that shouldn’t be a problem as they’ve put plenty of water on. The meeting is a lot later this year but he’s shown no sign that he’s dropping off.”

James Given has not ruled out stable stars Dandino and Indian Days clashing for a second time next month in the Investec Coronation Cup.

Dandino had his stable companion four lengths back in third place when denying Native Ruler by a nose in the Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.

While the Group One at Epsom on June 3 is the main objective for the Elite Racing Club-owned Dandino, Indian Days may also be Surrey-bound.

The six-year-old could, however, instead go for the Grand Prix de Chantilly two days later.

“They’ve both come out of the race well. They were a bit tired but they are fine,” said the Gainsborough trainer.

“Both hold entries in the Coronation Cup.”