HAYDOCK hero Kingsgate Native will run in the King’s Stand Stakes next Tuesday rather than bid for a second success in the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Sir Michael Stoute’s sprinter scored scintillating fashion when defeating a high-class field in the Betfred Temple Stakes at Haydock on his seasonal reappearance last month.
The five-year-old has entries in both Group One sprints at next week’s Royal meeting, but will run in only when.
The Mujadil gelding was only just beaten on his racecourse debut in the Windsor Castle Stakes three years ago. And 12 months later ran in both the King’s Stand over five furlongs and the Golden Jubilee over six – winning the latter contest.
He could finish only 13th in the Golden Jubilee last year, but showed he old ability on his debut at Haydock for Stoute after an aborted stud career.
The Newmarket trainer said: “I’ve got some important work to do this week with the potential Ascot runners so I’ve not tidied it up just yet, but the plan is to go for the King’s Stand with Kingsgate on Tuesday.”
Fresh from Derby victory, Stoute will be sending a typically strong team to Ascot next week and Strawberrydaiquiri is on target for the Windsor Forest Stakes on the opening day of the meeting.
The four-year-old returned to winning ways in the Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket last month.
Last season the Renata Jacobs-owned filly won four of her six races, rounded off with a fine fourth in the Sun Chariot Stakes.
Gary Coffey, Jacobs’ racing manager, said: “The Windsor Forest is the intention. She’s in good form, Sir Michael is happy with her and at this moment in time we hope to run.
“We are very pleased with her progression but we are under no illusions that the step up to Group Two company will be a bit more difficult for her – but she deserves a crack at it now. We feel that anywhere between a mile and 10 furlongs is her quota. We’d like to try her over 10 furlongs at some stage this season. This looks a solid Group Two with the Sun Chariot winner Sahpresa and Godolphin’s Antara entered, so it certainly won’t be easy.”
Meanwhile Stoute won’t make any definite plans yet for Investec Derby winner Workforce.
The King’s Best colt produced a scintillating performance to land the Epsom Classic and break Lammtarra’s 15-year-old track record in the process.
The Irish Derby at the Curragh and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot have both been mooted as possible targets but but five-time Derby winning trainer Stoute insists no decision will be made until next week at the earliest.
Stoute said: “It was a great day, a great thrill and the team thoroughly enjoyed it. I was a little bit concerned about his lack of experience after his preparatory race didn’t go according to plan, but he’d pleased us subsequently and we thought he would run very well but I didn’t expect a performance of that magnitude.
“Ryan (Moore) came in after York and said ‘don’t be disappointed’ because the bit went right through his mouth and he couldn’t give him the assistance that he needed.
“I suppose on the face of it it was a better Derby performance than Sea The Stars, but it doesn’t make him a better horse and Sea The Stars actually won the Derby very comfortably.
“All my Derby winners stand out, it’s a wonderful race and it’s a wonderful day and it’s great to win it. We’ve decided to not even consider the next move until well into next week, we’ll monitor him and try to determine how he has recovered from his race so plans are on hold. It’s so far so good but it is early days.”
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