Tag Archive for: Sakheer

Sakheer set to chart direct route to Commonwealth Cup

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Roger Varian has indicated Sakheer is likely to head straight to the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot after finishing sixth in the 2000 Guineas.

Although beaten on debut at Windsor, the Zoffany colt proved himself to be a high-class two-year-old – shedding his maiden in style at Haydock on his second start before putting in a most impressive display to claim the Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury.

Despite racing over no further than six furlongs as a juvenile, Sakheer was upped to a mile for his return in the opening Classic of the season and while making promising progress at one stage, the testing conditions at Newmarket ultimately seemed to take a toll in the closing stages as he finished seven lengths adrift of Chaldean.

Sakheer having a racecourse gallop at Newmarket
Sakheer having a racecourse gallop at Newmarket (Tim Goode/PA)

Having recovered well from his Rowley Mile exertions, Sakheer’s handler has now taken the decision to revert back to the distance he made his name over at the Royal meeting and a race for which he is currently at the top of the ante-post lists at a best price of 11-2.

“He’s come out of the race well and most likely he will go straight to the Commonwealth Cup,” said Varian.

“It was such a messy race the 2000 Guineas, it was almost a non-event for us. He made quite an eyecatching move in the race, but it was all happening away from him and maybe he just didn’t get home the final 100 yards.

“We imagine a stiff six furlongs at Ascot is tailor-made for him.”

Guineas hope Sakheer sparkles in Newmarket spin

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Roger Varian is counting down the days until the Qipco 2000 Guineas with Sakheer after his exciting colt enjoyed a “perfect” workout at Newmarket on Tuesday.

A narrowly beaten second on his racecourse debut at Windsor last summer, the son of Zoffany went one better with a six-length success at Haydock before dominating the Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury.

With Varian deciding against giving his three-year-old a run in any of this week’s Guineas trials, Sakheer instead took to the Rowley Mile for a gallop in company with an older sprinting stablemate.

After initially taking a lead, Sakheer extended clear in the hands of David Egan, leaving Varian suitably satisfied ahead of the season’s first Classic in less than three weeks’ time.

Sakheer after working at Newmarket on Tuesday
Sakheer after working at Newmarket on Tuesday (Nick Robson/PA)

“It was perfect to be honest. It was not meant to be a gut-busting work, but it got him a nice blow and he had a day away from home,” said the trainer.

“He got to experience the undulations, he was very well balanced through the work, he came out of the dip nicely, it was a bridle work but it was a strong work and he’ll come nicely forward from it.

“It was part of his schedule and he’s got a strong two weeks ahead of him. He’d only been here once before, so it was nice to give him experience of it.”

An unsatisfactory scope meant Sakheer missed an intended appearance in the Dewhurst in October, which would have at least answered some questions about his stamina.

As it is he will line up over the straight mile in the Guineas having not yet raced beyond six furlongs and Varian admits only time will tell whether he will stay the longer distance.

He added: “We are as confident as we can be and he’s bred to get the trip, even beyond a a mile. He was strong through the line in all of his starts, but he never ran further than six furlongs, so we won’t truly know until the Guineas because he is a quick horse.

“If he gets home he could be a very good miler, if he doesn’t we know we’ve got options back in trip. We wouldn’t be running him if we didn’t think he had a strong chance of getting a mile, but it won’t be proven until two weeks on Saturday.

“He’s got loads of ability and I thought he looked lovely today. He shows it at home but it’s nice to see it on a racecourse.

“He is a good horse, he looked it last year and looks it again this year. We’re not going to test him over a mile until the Guineas, so that is when we’ll find out.”

Sakheer after winning the Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury
Sakheer after winning the Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury (PA)

Varian was also pleased to see Sakheer apparently handling the rain-softened ground, adding: “I didn’t ask David about the ground but it looked to me as if he was fine on it.

“He’s been trained for the Guineas. If it was soft, combined with the trip, they are the two things he hasn’t encountered, but it’s been his target all year and if he’s fine I’m sure he’ll be here.

“He looks very good, but we’ve got to work out what his best conditions are.”

Another Varian-trained colt who could yet earn himself a tilt at Classic glory is Charyn.

Third behind Sakheer in the Mill Reef, the Dark Angel colt subsequently won a Group Two in France and will test his Guineas credentials in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury on Saturday.

“It is testing his water to see where he stands. He’s a different type, he’s very laid back and he needs a race,” said Varian.

“He’s also in the Newmarket Guineas and also in at the Curragh (Irish 2,000 Guineas). The Greenham will give is a guide. He’s a good horse, I like him.”

Varian also reported his St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov to be “in great form” ahead of a planned reappearance in next month’s Yorkshire Cup, with the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot his primary objective.

Sakheer to have racecourse gallop ahead of Guineas date

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Sakheer will head straight to the Qipco 2000 Guineas with connections deciding against running in a red-hot edition of the Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes at Newbury.

Roger Varian’s impressive Mill Reef winner was in line for a return to the Berkshire track at the start of his Classic season, but the prospect of testing conditions for the seven-furlong contest has seen the Carlburg Stables handler decide to complete Sakheer’s Guineas preparations closer to home.

A general 8-1 shot for the opening Classic of the season on May 6, he is set for a Rowley Mile reconnaissance mission via a racecourse gallop.

“He’s in good form and we’re very happy with him,” said Varian.

“I think the Newbury ground this weekend will be very testing and I’m not sure he is quite ready for that, but he can have a nice gallop not far from home and hopefully that will bring him on a notch. We are 19 days out from the Guineas as we stand and we’re very happy with his condition.”

The son of Zoffany – who is owned by the KHK Racing Ltd operation that tasted Classic success with Eldar Eldarov last season – raced three times at two, all at six furlongs.

However, if Sakheer is to add to both his trainer and owner’s Classic haul, he will need to prove he stays an extra two furlongs – something Varian cannot be certain about until he is put to the test under race conditions.

“We don’t really know about a mile, truth be told,” he continued. “We hope he gets a mile but he’s never raced beyond six and he’s been very good over six.

“He’s bred to get a mile and we’re going to ask that question of him. We have options over shorter – Commonwealth Cups and Prix Jean Prats – should the mile be beyond him from a stamina point of view.

“I think on pedigree he has every chance of getting a mile and none of us will really know until he runs. You can get an idea at home, but it’s really under race pressure and race circumstances that you really know if they get home or not.”