Fast ground a concern for Mayson in Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York
Trainer Richard Fahey has admitted that York’s fast ground would be a huge concern for Mayson in the Group 1 Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes, to be held next week.
According to the current prevailing conditions, the going is good to firm at York, where plenty of dangerous runners will compete in the 5-furlong meeting next Friday.
Mayson has a wonderful track record on soft surface. On Newmarket’s heavy ground, Fahey’s charge slammed his rivals in the Group 1 Darley July Cup (British Champions Series And Global Sprint Challenge) last month.
An excellent start helped him establish his supremacy soon after the start. Despite being shaken up a furlong before the wire, the 20-1 chance kept running well under Paul Hanagan, and eventually grabbed an easy 5-length success.
The trainer is not worried over bringing his charge back to five furlongs, but admitted that fast ground could hinder the 4-year-old in the upcoming big meeting. Writing in his Sportling Life column, he said:
“A decision has yet to be taken on whether Mayson runs in the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes. I'm not scared to drop him back to five furlongs but if it's quick ground it could just be on the sharp side for him. We'll monitor the weather but at the moment it
looks like it's going to be a dry week."
Owned by David W. Armstrong, the bay colt remained unlucky throughout last year. However, he has been maintaining the standards since the start of this season. He started off his 2012 campaign with the third position in a Listed Race at Doncaster in March.
The Highfield Farm Llp-bred won another Listed Race at Newmarket before clinching the first rank in the Group 3 Pearl Bloodstock Palace House Stakes in May. After a couple of brilliant wins, the son of Invincible Spirit lost his rhythm for a while, and was
trounced respectively at York and Newcastle.
He did not take much time in putting his journey back on the winning ways, and completed his Newmarket hat-trick last month, securing an emphatic win in the Darley July Cup. He is surely in great shape at the moment, but needs things in favour to thrive
against a star-studded line-up at York.
Tags: