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Gosden: Cracksman likely to skip King George for later targets

Cracksman: may be waited with until later in the season
Cracksman: connections hoping for a repeat of last season's Champion Stakes successCredit: Mark Cranham

John Gosden said on Tuesday that Cracksman appears likely to miss the Qipco King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

The four-year-old is the 7-2 second favourite for the Group 1 at Ascot on July 28 behind Crystal Ocean but, while Gosden has not ruled out Cracksman lining up, he is conscious there are plenty of other prizes to target during the season.

Speaking on At The Races on Tuesday morning, Gosden said of Cracksman: "He's full of himself and is happy as anything. We're freshening him at the moment and we'll keep an eye on the King George but he's more likely coming back into the late summer/ autumn campaigns. We're not even halfway through the year yet."

Cracksman has claimed the Prix Ganay and Coronation Cup this season before being turned over at odds-on by Poet's Word in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot.


Watch the Prince of Wales's Stakes replay


Gosden questioned whether Cracksman's mind had been on the job that day, suggesting the colt was instead more interested in the fillies returning from the Duke of Cambridge Stakes.

"He ran a phenomenally good time, Poet's Word was immensely impressive and beat him fair and square and look how far back it was to the third [Hawkbill] and look where he was in the Eclipse," Gosden added.

"I don't think it's exactly bad form for a horse who was pretty lackadaisical that day."

Gosden also had news on Lah Ti Dar, who was forced to miss the Oaks and then the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot, having been a strong contender for each race.

Unbeaten in two starts, the filly was ruled out of the Oaks due to an unsatisfactory blood test and did not recover in time for the Ribblesdale.

Her trainer thinks the enforced absence has been a good thing, as he said: "She's now in tremendous form and looks really good. She's just doing easy canters and we'll get her back for a late summer/autumn campaign.

"She's a big filly with a huge frame and she's benefited from the time off. Maybe it was all coming a bit soon."


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David BaxterReporter

Published on 10 July 2018inNews

Last updated 18:33, 10 July 2018

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