'He was impressive' - Oxted work has Teal humming as ace sprinter nears return

Oxted, who helped put Roger Teal on the map with top-level triumphs in the July Cup and King's Stand Stakes, has the trainer purring as he nears a return to action.

Now six, Oxted has been off since a fine third in the July Cup and is due to appear at York on May 11 in the 1895 Duke Of York Clipper Logistics Stakes having had a piece of floating bone removed from a joint.

That procedure could even result in improvement from the likeable gelding, who won the July Cup in 2020 before landing the King's Stand last year.

Watch Oxted win last year's King's Stand

That is his main target again and Teal, whose son and assistant Harry is a key part of Team Oxted, said: "We'll go to York because of the timing. I'd rather have gone to Haydock for the Temple Stakes, but it's too close to Royal Ascot and I'd like to give him a month between his races.

"He's done a couple of nice strong pieces of work now and he's in good order. He's going to keep coming forward and is not cranked right up, but Harry's really pleased with what he's done so far.

"He looked pretty impressive the other morning and is an honest horse who wears his heart on his sleeve. He definitely tells you whether he's in the right place."

Roger Teal: 'We'll go to York because of the timing'Credit: Edward Whitaker

Teal, who trains in Lambourn, added: "Now he's had that chip taken out he might even come forward. The proof will be when we get him to the racecourse, but he had a great year last year and rarely runs a bad race. He's a sprinter and they can be in and out and he was beaten in the York race last year, but we were drawn on the stand side and the winner Starman and Nahaarr were on the far side.

"Ryan Moore was a little bit critical of himself for letting him run too free at Newmarket in the Abernant the time before, so he held on to him and when he came in he said he should have let him bowl. That's hindsight, but it's one good thing you get with Ryan Moore is he's very honest, and I like jockeys who are honest because you learn from it rather than getting a load of baloney."

Some consistent spring weather would be welcomed by the trainer as the Flat season gets going.

"I think we're a little bit behind because we've had such changeable weather and the horses are confused by it," he said. "Some have come in their summer coat and then gone back, so the weather hasn't helped, but I don't think I'm alone and I think a few trainers haven't got their horses as far forward as they'd like."

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