SIR MICHAEL STOUTE is hopeful rather than confident ahead of Evasive’s bid for glory in Saturday’s stanjames.com 2.000 Guineas.
The Newmarket trainer took his Elusive Quality colt – who is a best-priced 10-1 with William Hill and Coral – to Ascot for a trip out yesterday, but Stoute hasn’t been impressed with his home work.
The Cheveley Park Stud-owned colt was said to be lame last week and has not run since winning the Horris Hill Stakes last October. Evasive was led around the paddock under big-race jockey Ryan Moore. The chestnut colt seemed to be in good condition, but Stoute said: “He is walking well and he looks very well.
“His home work has not been spectacular. It has been annoying – he has just been having little stoppages, which you don’t ideally want.
“He has done enough fast work, despite the interruptions I said, his weight is good and you can only hope he wants to get back to the racecourse and get fired up.”
Stoute, whose Patkai landed the Woodcote Stud Sagaro Stakes by nine lengths at the Berkshire track yesterday and is now vying for favouritism for the Ascot Gold Cup with triple hero Yeats, added: “He has not run since October and we thought we would bring him here and if he gets excited, you would rather he did it here than on Saturday.
“We were going to take him to work at Newbury on Greenham day but the ground was too bad. There’s no magic to it.”
Richard Hills is yet to decide which of Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum’s two Guineas hopes he will ride.
Hills has the choice of Marcus Tregoning’s Finjaan or Ouqba, who is trained by his father, Barry.
Ougba was supplemented for the race on Monday after his European Free Handicap victory over seven furlongs on the Rowley Mile last month.
Barry Hills said: “It was the Sheikh’s plan to put him in, but I am pretty relaxed about running him.
“He came out of Newmarket well. He didn’t do too much this morning, but he worked well and would improve.
“The more I get to know the horse, the more I feel stamina is not an issue, but after this I would say he will go for the Jersey.
“I am sure he will be thereabouts. I don’t know who is going to ride him yet. Richard has the choice between him and Marcus Tregoning’s horse Finjaan.”
Liverpool jockey Martin Dwyer, who rode Finjaan to win on his debut at the Guineas meeting last year when half a length ahead of Ouqba, could pick up a spare ride in the race.
Although the Merseysider is no longer second jockey to Sheikh Hamdan, he still rides for Tregoning and could come in to partner Finjaan if Hills decided to partner Ouqba.
Ouqba is a 33-1 chance with Skybet for the Colts’ Classic while Finjaan is 25-1 with most firms.
Aidan O’Brien’s Rip Van Winkle is said to “95% sound” and may be among the final declared runners later today.
The Galileo colt suffered a stone bruise earlier in the week, but has progressed well since.
O’Brien said: “We poulticed Rip Van Winkle’s foot again on Wednesday night and not as much pus came out as had been the case the previous night. He’s 95% sound and, hopefully, will be perfect on Thursday morning and able to run.
“Obviously when such things happen you have to miss a bit of work, but we were happy with him before he got the bruise and, hopefully, everything will be okay on Thursday.”
Godolphin will rely on Ashram as they look for a first win in the 2,000 Guineas since Island Sands 10 years ago. Stablemate Shaweel is still entered but may head for French equivalent next week.
Godolphin’s racing manager Simon Crisford said: “I think Sheikh Mohammed will make his mind up pretty soon about the 2,000 Guineas. I would imagine at this time we will be heading there with Ashram. I think the ground is drying pretty quickly and Shaweel could go to France.”
Meanwhile Newmarket clerk of the course Michael Prosser said the going was unchanged at good to firm ahead of the weekend’s stanjames.com Guineas Festival.
A total of eight millimetres of water was applied to the entire course yesterday.
TODAY’S NAP: Gap Princess (4.15pm Redcar).
