Carroll eyeing Gimcrack glory with A'Ali conqueror Spartan Fighter

Spartan Fighter, the only horse to beat Sunday's Prix Robert Papin scorer A'Ali, is being primed to test his own credentials at Group level in the Al Basti Equiworld Gimcrack Stakes at York next month.

Declan Carroll's two-year-old defeated A'Ali by a neck when the pair met at Ripon last month, pulling nine lengths clear of their rivals.

While A'Ali has been making hay over the summer with wins in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot and last Sunday at Deauville, Spartan Fighter has scored in another novice at York, where he is likely to return for the Group 2 Gimcrack during the Ebor festival in August.

Spartan Fighter storms home to score at YorkCredit: Grossick Racing (racingpost.com/photos)

Carroll said: "Obviously it's good to see A’Ali running well. We've run since in a novice race at York under a penalty and he's been in good form. He's a horse we're really looking forward to as we see him progress."

The Gimcrack has an impressive roll call, with recent winners including subsequent Group 1 scorers Sands Of Mali and Blue Point, and Carroll believes the patient approach will benefit him at York.

"He was a late foal and the owners have been patient with him and that will pay dividends in the end," the trainer added. "He has an entry in France on Sunday in the Group 3 Prix de Cabourg at Deauville, but I don't think he will travel now – the ground might be too quick for him. We're not in any rush to do anything so we'll sit tight and gear him towards the Gimcrack."

With A'Ali winning both his Group 2 races in an eyecatching manner, a step up to Group 1 beckons meaning a rematch between the pair is unlikely at this stage, but Carroll would not be frightened of taking him on again.

"I’ve worked in racing long enough to know every race is different," he said. "But we always liked our horse, especially going into that race at Ripon. We knew Simon [Crisford] liked his horse so we've got a lot of respect for A'Ali, I'm sure at some point we will come across him again."

The Malton-based trainer was robbed of a chance of big-race success when promising two-year-old Santry, second in the Norfolk in 2017, suffered a fatal leg injury on the gallops, but Carroll is hoping Spartan Fighter gets the chance to fulfil his potential.

"Santry was exceptional, the public never got to see exactly what he could do – he was a serious horse," said the trainer. "I’m not getting ahead of myself just yet and I'll have to let the Spartan Fighter do the talking.

"If he's in one piece then he'll take his chance in the Gimcrack and we'll see where we go from there, but a Group 1 would be nice, wouldn't it?"

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