'He loves the place' - July Cup fourth Art Power out to continue remarkable Curragh record

July Cup fourth Art Power will make a rapid return to action in a bid to continue his "amazing" Curragh record in the Barberstown Castle Sapphire Stakes (3.10) on Saturday.

Beaten two and three-quarter lengths by Shaquille in Newmarket's summer sprint showpiece, the Tim Easterby-trained six-year-old will drop to five furlongs in the Group 2.

Easterby's assistant and son William said: "He'll go over to Ireland on Thursday night to run at the Curragh because he loves the place. He's down to five furlongs there but I think he'll run a big race.

"He seems really well and, while I think he prefers cut in the ground, I don't think it's vital, although it slows the others down."

Owned by King Power Racing, Art Power is unbeaten in three starts at the Curragh, most recently in the Greenlands Stakes in May, and was bred just a 40-minute drive from the course at Owenstown Stud.

"It's an amazing thing when you get horses for courses where you can run him somewhere and it works," Easterby added. "It's just like taking horses to Yorkshire tracks who love them near home. We try to go back there when we can."

Britain could also be represented in the Sapphire by the Roger Varian-trained Mitbaahy and last year's Prix de l'Abbaye runner-up White Lavender.

White Lavender (near side) chased home The Platinum Queen in last year's Prix de l'AbbayeCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Easterby was speaking at a press launch event for the Go Racing In Yorkshire Summer Festival, which begins on Friday at Pontefract, and Ruth Carr also confirmed Stewards' Cup gamble Badri will take his place in the Glorious Goodwood sprint.

Runner-up at Ascot last weekend, the six-year-old has been backed into 16-1 for the heritage handicap, having been as big as 25-1 beforehand. He is as short as 12-1 with William Hill.

Carr said: "It's always nice to go south and take on the big boys. We think the six furlongs downhill at Goodwood will suit him really well.

"He ran really well at Ascot and it's a big prize-money race, so we hope we can go and take them on well before hopefully heading back to York for one of the big handicaps at the Ebor meeting."

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