Sea of Class withdrawn from Knavesmire date after illness

Trainer William Haggas had hoped to start the Irish and Yorkshire Oaks heroine on his beloved Knavesmire, but a recent raised temperature forced her to have an easy week.

Haggas, a proud Yorkshireman, confirmed Royal Ascot remains the early-season target for Sea Of Class who has taken jockey James Doyle’s burgeoning career to new heights.

The horse, who just failed to overcome a bad draw to beat the Frankie Dettori-ridden and John Gosden-trained Enable in last year’s Arc, will bid to go one better at ParisLongchamp this October a decade after a sire, Sea The Stars, dominated 2009 before landing Europe’s blue riband race.

“She spiked a temperature about two weeks ago which we didn’t like,” Haggas told Racing TV’s Luck On Sunday.

“It was down within 24 hours, but a couple of markers on her blood weren’t great so we’ve had to give her a week off, which is why we’ll take her out of the Middleton on Tuesday.

“She’s essentially fine, she’s back in work and looks great. We think she’s improved a bit and we’re also delighted they’ve decided not to run the Japanese horse Almond Eye (Dubai Turf winner) in Europe.

“I’d love to meet her some day, I was very impressed with her at Meydan, but I’m very keen to have a crack at the colts this year.

“It’s a bit softly-softly to go for all the Group One races for fillies. The other thing I want to do is bring her back in trip because I don’t think any race she won last year she won because she out-galloped them – I think she won because she was quicker than them.

“A bit like Almond Eye, Sea Of Class would have been interesting in that nine-furlong race because I think she’s quite similar, she’s got a turn of foot so I really want to go for the Prince of Wales’s, that’s my first one.

“I’ve discussed it with Mrs Tsui (owner), she’s up for it, naturally, so that’s what we’d like to do – whether we get a run in first will be up to her really.”

Ten Sovereigns, trained by Aidan O’Brien, is the new favourite for the Qipco 2000 Guineas following news Too Darn Hot has been ruled out of the colts’ Classic at Newmarket on May 4.

Too Darn Hot, victorious in last September’s Champagne Stakes at Doncaster under Frankie Dettori, had headed the ante-post market throughout the winter after going through his juvenile campaign unbeaten and being crowned champion European two-year-old.

However, he did not make the Greenham Stakes at Newbury due to a splint problem and trainer John Gosden had stressed he would not be rushed if he did not have the requisite time to have an adequate preparation for Newmarket.

Gosden said he will look at either the Dante Stakes at York on May 16 or the Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh nine days later for the son of Dubawi, owned by composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and his wife Madeleine.

Middleham trainer Mark Johnson’s strong start to the 2019 Flat season continued when Austrian School taught his rivals a lesson in the Queen’s Cup Stakes at Musselburgh.

Austrian School, a half-brother to dual Grand National hero Tiger Roll, ended a run of nine first-four finishes in emphatic style.

The son of Teofilo had gone up 17lb since he last won at Chester 11 months ago – but that did not stop the joint-favourite bounding clear in the straight under Joe Fanning to come home six lengths ahead of Ulster in the heritage handicap over a mile and three-quarters.

“We know he’s a very good horse, not quite as good as his older brother yet, who has win the Grand National twice, but a great horse,” said Johnston.

Dan Skelton became just the second National Hunt trainer in history to register 200 winners in a single season as Montego Grey won the Racing TV Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race at Market Rasen. Only Martin Pipe had previously reached the milestone.