Prince Of India under consideration for swift reappearance at Newmarket
Prince Of India, last summer’s Shergar Cup winner at Ascot, is being considered for a quick return to the track in Saturday’s Listed Hopeful Stakes at Newmarket after finishing second in the Group Two Hungerford Stakes at Newbury.
The four-year-old ran on well behind the Clive Cox-trained Coppull over seven furlongs at Group Two level, having shown earlier in the season that he could compete with top sprinters when finishing sixth in the July Cup at long odds. Despite that promising form, he has not added to his tally since his victory on Shergar Cup day at Ascot last year.
Trainer Marco Botti has entered the son of Wootton Bassett in the Listed contest at Newmarket and will monitor the entries before making a decision in the middle of the week. Connections see a sharp six-furlong test as a likely optimal trip for the colt, and his liking for fast ground and familiarity with the July Course were factors behind the entry.
Botti reported that Prince Of India had come out of Newbury well and was in good order at the stable, which encouraged the team to consider the shorter, Listed option at Newmarket rather than waiting for a longer-term target. The convenience of not having to travel from Newmarket to Newmarket was also cited as a practical advantage when weighing up the plan.
Rocket Boy to be aimed at a pattern or Listed target
Another Botti-trained juvenile to catch the eye recently is Rocket Boy, who backed up a surprise debut success at Yarmouth with a staying third in the Listed Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury.
The colt showed he stays the mile well and finished strongly on that occasion, with the performance viewed as an encouraging piece of form from a lightly raced horse. His team believe he will improve with experience and have kept several options open for his next assignment.
Entries for Rocket Boy include the Group Two Royal Lodge at Newmarket and the Group Two Champagne Stakes at Doncaster, while a Listed option at Haydock in early September — the Ascendant Stakes — has also been considered. Connections indicated a preference for firmer going, suggesting the colt might not relish very soft ground.
Implications for the autumn programme
- Prince Of India’s potential run at Newmarket would represent a drop in grade from Group Two to Listed, a move often employed to regain winning confidence and sharpen a horse ahead of bigger autumn targets.
- For Rocket Boy, a choice between pattern races and a Listed engagement will come down on how his handlers view his progression and the likely ground at each venue; a mile appears within his scope based on recent evidence.
- Both horses remain relevant to festival fixtures: Prince Of India retains a clear connection to Ascot through his Shergar Cup success, while Rocket Boy’s entries include prominent juvenile routes that lead towards major autumn races and potential festival appearances.
Final declarations for the Listed Hopeful Stakes at Newmarket are expected closer to the weekend, with decisions on whether Prince Of India will take his chance due to be confirmed by midweek. Meanwhile, Rocket Boy’s next target will be chosen from the remaining entry list once ground and other variables are assessed by his team.
