Midday setting sights on Juddmonte

The five-year-old, a winner of a third consecutive Nassau at Goodwood last month, still has the option of going for back-to-back victories in Thursday’s Darley Yorkshire Oaks but Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner Prince Khalid Abdullah, has revealed she is likely to join stablemate Twice Over in the International.

It is a race Abdullah, owner of Juddmonte Farms, would love to win for the first time for obvious reasons.

“Twice Over definitely goes for the race,” said Cecil. “Midday is also entered in the Yorkshire Oaks but, hopefully, if we are happy with her well-being, we will be more likely to give the owner a double representation in his own race, which he would dearly love to win for the first time.

“It was nice to see Twice Over come back to himself last time at York. He is working well.”

Assuming Midday contests the Juddmonte, Cecil will saddle Vita Nova in the Darley Yorkshire Oaks.

The four-year-old would almost certainly have won the Lancashire Oaks at Haydock last month had jockey Tom Queally’s saddle not slipped.

But Cecil is ready to test her at the highest level against the likes of Snow Fairy and Blue Bunting.

“She is going very nicely and with a little cut in the ground could run very well, although this year it looks as if there will be a very strong field,” he said.

While Yorkshire-trained Hoof It and Bapak Chinta dominate the ante-post market for the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes, Robert Cowell continues to talk up the prospects of Prohibit, winner of the Grade One King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.

“I’m really looking forward to York. We are there to be shot at now,” said Newmarket-based Cowell.

“In these five-furlong races, he is like the defending champion isn’t he? So as long as there is good pace in the race I think he will run well.”

David O’Meara feels improving filly Pepper Lane has to be considered a major player in Saturday’s William Hill Great St Wilfrid at Ripon.

The four-year-old has risen over 20lb in the weights this season, winning twice at Ripon and three times in total.

“She runs off 95 on Saturday, and that should get her in with a nice racing weight,” said the North Yorkshire handler.

“I thought she was up against it at Ripon last time and she missed the break badly, but she still won quite impressively.

“She doesn’t take a lot of work in between races. She’s maybe only cantered three or four times since her last run.

“I suppose with the manner she won the last time, she’d have to be fancied, but she’s up in grade and she is up 7lb in the weights.

“That’s probably fair, though, considering how she won. She’d have to have a chance.”

Owner Clive Smith has indicated Kauto Star is likely to race again if he pleases connections in his training regime.

The four-time King George hero and dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner was pulled up at the Punchestown Festival on his latest racecourse appearance in May, leading many to suggest retirement beckoned for the 11-year-old.

His summer holiday officially came to an end when he returned to work with champion trainer Paul Nicholls on Monday and how he fares as his workload is stepped up will determine whether his racing career will continue.

“He’ll have some light training and we’ll bring him up to regular training,” said Smith. “If he gives us the right signs and Kauto is showing a lot of spark, then we will look for a race for him.

“It will be the right race and I can assure everybody that he will never be pushed too far.”

Publication of the verdict in the British Horseracing Authority investigation into Howard Johnson running a horse in contravention of the welfare rules will be announced either today or tomorrow.

Following a couple of recent near-misses, Roger Charlton’s daughter of Singspiel, Primevere, recorded a deserved Listed-race success in the EBF ‘Exceed And Excel’ Upavon Fillies’ Stakes at Salisbury yesterday.

Today’s meeting at Beverley will need to pass a 7.30am precautionary inspection after heavy rain in East Yorkshire during yesterday’s card.