Horse Racing News Wednesday 5th July 2017
Barney Roy is one of just five horses in contention for the Group One Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly on Sunday. There were 24 entries for the mile heat, but the quintet is headed by Richard Hannon's St James's Palace Stakes hero following Wednesday's forfeit stage. However, Barney Roy is also engaged in the Coral-Eclipse on Saturday and Hannon said earlier in the week he was "favouring" the Group One at Sandown. Barney Roy runs in the Godolphin blue along with Thunder Snow, who finished third in the St James's Palace Stakes for Saeed bin Suroor. The Wertheimer brothers have two possibles in the Christophe Ferland-trained Spotify, who finished fourth in the French 2000 Guineas, and Gold Luck, who claimed second in the Prix de Sandringham for Freddy Head. Andre Fabre's Trais Fluors, winner of a Group Three last time, is also in the shake-up - though more runners could be added to the field at the supplementary stage on Thursday.
A drop back to the minimum trip for the Weatherbys Super Sprint at Newbury is under "serious consideration" for De Bruyne Horse. The five-furlong dash on July 22nd is one of a number of options for the Richard Hannon-trained two-year-old, who finished fourth in the Railway Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday. He had previously came home in eighth place in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. Tom Palin, spokesman for owners Middleham Park Racing, said: "We did back him up quite quick.It is a little bit back to the drawing board with him and I imagine the likes of the Redcar sales race and the Doncaster one at York are possibilities later on. He's in the Weatherbys Super Sprint and he might be one to stick in the Papin (Maisons-Laffitte) or the Rose Bowl (Newbury).I know he would have top weight in the Super Sprint but it is worth a lot to the winner. It is just whether the five furlongs there would be too quick for him. That's what we have got weigh up but we are giving it serious consideration."