Ready for Royal Ascot: Derby winner Masar impresses in key racecourse gallop

Last year's Derby winner Masar enjoyed his first visit to a racecourse in nearly a year when impressing in a spin on the reopened July course at Newmarket on Saturday morning.

Ridden as usual by work-rider Brett Doyle, Godolphin's long-absent Charlie Appleby-trained chestnut was on top of lead horse Secret Advisor (James Doyle) at the close of a workout over seven furlongs.

Following his triumph at Epsom last June, Masar sustained a leg injury after a similar exercise at Newmarket's summer venue when he was being prepared for Sandown's Coral-Eclipse the following month.

There were no mishaps this time, however, with the four-year-old going all the way into the pull-up area after his workout, and he looked to be having a nice blow afterwards.

After a long road back, involving treadmills and swimming, Masar will be unleashed at Royal Ascot this month, in either the Prince of Wales's Stakes over 1m2f or the Hardwicke over a mile and a half.

Masar and Brett Doyle prepare to work

Appleby said: "It's been a long road and we're delighted to have him back on a racetrack. I was pleased with how he travelled into the gallop and he does what he usually does when he hits the front.

"He's not a horse who will win a gallop by five lengths and he's had a healthy blow. That will sharpen him up mentally as much as anything. Hopefully that will put us right for a potential tilt at Royal Ascot.

"We'll get him home and give him a piece of work next Wednesday, which will be the deciding factor whether he runs in the Prince of Wales's Stakes or the Hardwicke."

He added: "We had thought about dropping him back to a mile and a quarter last year for the Eclipse before he got injured as it would have looked good on his page. He's not short of pace as we saw in the Craven Stakes, but we'll see after Wednesday."

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