Tag Archive for: Awaken

Options home and abroad for promising filly Awaken

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Royal Ascot runner-up Awaken is poised to return to deeper waters after a brief drop back in grade to open her account at Leicester recently.

Second to Richard Spencer’s well-regarded Gold Digger at Yarmouth on debut, she reversed that form when again a silver medallist in the Albany Stakes at the Royal meeting, finishing a length and a half adrift of Karl Burke’s Venetian Sun in a race that is beginning to look a red-hot piece of form.

The daughter of Mehmas made all to open her account at Leicester and Harry Herbert of owners Highclere Thoroughbreds said: “The Albany form is very strong and she has come out of the race really well, which she should have done really as it was just a piece of work for her in many ways.

“It was good to make her a winner and in that respect it was job done and now we can aim our sights towards black-type races again.”

Trained by George Boughey, Awaken is currently a single figure price for the Sky Bet Lowther Stakes during York’s Ebor Festival, but she is not certain to line-up on the Knavesmire with connections also contemplating a step up in trip for Deauville’s Prix du Calvados.

Herbert continued: “It could be the Lowther next but I’m not sure that necessarily smells totally right at the moment and she has plenty of options. There’s also the Prix du Calvados in France and we think seven furlongs would very much be in her compass.

“There’s two or three races lurking and we do think now she’s got the win under her belt she is capable of taking that step back into black-type company and see how far she takes us.

“She’s a very scopey filly and it is also about next season as well and here at Highclere we’re forever dreaming she may develop into a 1000 Guineas prospect, it’s fantastically exciting.”

Goodwood set to be next port of call for Merchant

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Merchant is likely to stick to his own age group and tackle the John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes at Goodwood on July 31.

The William Haggas-trained three-year-old continued his progression when quickening up stylishly to win the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot last week, giving owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing a fifth victory in the race.

“To win another King George V was really special. It’s been an amazing race for us,” said Highclere’s Harry Herbert.

“We’ve always loved that type of horse, but they are becoming more difficult to buy. We were over the moon to buy him as a Teofilo with Group One scope – he was so gorgeous William Haggas rang up asking to train him, which he’s never done.

Tom Marquand aboard Merchant after winning the King George V Stakes
Tom Marquand aboard Merchant after winning the King George V Stakes (John Walton/PA)

“He’s still relatively inexperienced, he was sort of dossing on the outside going along very easily with his head not really in full throttle position, but one tap from Tom (Marquand) and he really quickened up impressively.

“He’s a really exciting prospect, I would imagine he will go for the Gordon, that’s the right sort of race, we’ll take it one step at a time. The fact he was even entered in the King George tells you the regard William holds him in, but having spoken to him this morning I think we’ll go a more regular route and probably head to Goodwood.”

Highclere also went close at the big meeting with George Boughey’s Awaken, who was runner-up to Venetian Sun in the Albany Stakes.

“Awaken is a very exciting filly, she’s a scopey filly so everything is a bonus. It’s gone from wondering if she’d get on the track this year to here were are having been second in an Albany,” said Herbert.

“I don’t know where we’ll go. We could just try to get her a win in a maiden or a novice or we may go for another Group race.

“If we do I think something like the Princess Margaret back at Ascot might suit her.”