'One day he'll have his day in the sun' - Roger Teal eyeing York for stable star Dancing Gemini

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Dacing Gemini is set to run in Saturday's £165,000 Group 2 Sky Bet Stakes, with trainer Roger Teal keen to keep his stable star to a mile and a quarter for now.

Twice a runner-up at the highest level over a mile, Dancing Gemini stepped up in trip to place fifth in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot, finishing behind Group 1 heavyweights Ombudsman, Minnie Hauk, Daryz and Almaqam.

"It was a top race at Ascot and in hindsight we probably rode him a little bit too cold," said Teal. "It's hard giving the best horses in the world a head start, but I think he has to be ridden like that and he ran with credit.

"He seems back to his old self on the gallops and I was really happy with his work on Saturday morning. I'm looking forward to running at York, which is a race I've had my eye on ever since Ascot. Wherever this fella rocks up he seems to take on the best, but one day he'll have his day in the sun."

Beyond York, Teal would like to try to better a third-placed finish in last season's Prix Jacques le Marois over a mile at Deauville next month, but the Lambourn trainer felt it was worth sticking at a mile and a quarter before then.

"I think York being a flat track should suit him over the trip," said Teal. "We'd like to have one more go at ten furlongs – he's certainly bred for it. He just needs a bit of luck, but it's hard to find an easy spot. 

"I think a mile on an easy surface suits him but a mile on a quicker surface probably finds him out a little bit. It was rock hard in the Jacques le Marois last year and the trouble was we had to make our own running, but he was only beaten a length."

Oxted: ready to step up in trip on his next runCredit: Edward Whitaker

Veteran stablemate Oxted is also set for step up in trip, with Teal eyeing a handicap at Newbury over seven furlongs on August 15 for the dual Group 1-winning sprinter.

"He's probably lost a bit of his speed but he's training much better now and I'm really happy with him," said Teal. "I had to back off him in the heat. He's a big, thick-set horse and he didn't really handle that hot weather. I'm just waiting for the weather to improve for the old boy."

The ten-year-old finished last on his first start since coming out of retirement at Salisbury in May, where the prelims got the better of him as he returned to competitive action after almost five years on the sidelines. 

"He was over-excited at Salisbury and ran his race before he got to the start," said Teal. "He was just too fresh. He was there to do his best but not to be knocked about if he got tired. He's still enthusiastic and I've got an 86-105 handicap pencilled in for him. He's rated 107 but if the race doesn't fill he'll get a run."

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