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King George Hero Pyledriver Aiming At Sheema Classic As He Returns To Full Work

Dual Group 1 winner Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) has returned to full work and will take another crack at the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic in March, according to co-trainer William Muir, who trains with Chris Grassick.

The 5-year-old entire took the G1 Coronation Cup last year, and was fourth in the Sheema Classic this March. Second in defence of his Coronation Cup back at Epsom in June, he was last seen taking the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth S. by 2 3/4 lengths at Ascot on July 23.

Injury ruled out the bay from contesting the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, as well as trips to the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland and the Longines Hong Kong International Races in October, November and December, respectively.

Muir said, “He's back on track now and we're starting to get him ready for his Sheema Classic run. He started cantering back last week, he's moving beautifully and looks a million dollars.

“It's quite exciting to see him back up on the gallop as you know you've got another good one out there. He looks fantastic.

“I was gutted to miss those big races, but we had to do what was right for him and in the end we found he had something deep seated in his foot, which has now come out and everything is fine.”

Dubai will likely not be Pyledriver's 6-year-old bow, as Muir and Grassick are mulling starts over the all-weather.

“There's a possibility we could run in the Winter Derby Trial or the Winter Derby, depending how he comes,” Muir added. “I wouldn't set that in stone, but it's in the back of my mind.

“I know the Lingfield races are a mile and a quarter, but if he ran in one of those it wouldn't be the be all and end all–it would be more of a prep run before he goes to Dubai.”

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Muir Charting A Straight Path to Paris for the Arc with Pyledriver

All roads lead to the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in October for Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}), with the 5-year-old's joint-trainer providing an upbeat bulletin on his stable star.

William Muir has described the King George hero to be “jumping out of his skin” as he prepares for a tilt at the Arc and revealed Pyledriver could head straight to Paris without the benefit of a prep race.

Despite being a previous winner of the G2 King Edward VII S. at Royal Ascot, the G2 Great Voltigeur at York and the G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom, the 5-year-old was a widely unconsidered 18-1 shot for last month's midsummer showpiece, but he could hardly have been more impressive in victory.

Muir, who trains Pyledriver in partnership with Chris Grassick, said in the immediate aftermath that his stable star would not run again before contesting Europe's premier middle-distance contest.

And while he is not completely ruling out a possible prep run in Kempton's G3 September S., a direct route to Paris remains his intention.

“Pyledriver is in super shape–he's jumping out of his skin,” he said. “I said to the lad who rides him I wanted to give him a break, but he said 'God, I had a job to stay with him this morning'. He's jumping and kicking and squealing and is in really good order.”

Muir added, “The plan is straight to the Arc. If there was any reason to give him a run, and this is so far at the back of my mind, there is the September S. at Kempton if we wanted to do that.

“I don't want to do that. I want to go straight to the Arc, then after that it will be one or the other of the Breeders' Cup or Japan and then on to Hong Kong.”

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Pyledriver Heads To The Arc Prior To Targets Farther Afield

Dual Group 1 winner Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) has emerged from his G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth QIPCO S. victory in good order and will point towards the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Oct. 2, according to co-trainer William Muir. After running second in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup in December, the bay did not make an impact in Riyadh, and was an unlucky fourth in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic in March. Wheeled back attempting a title defence of his G1 Coronation Cup crown, he finished second in June. Longer-term targets include the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf in November, as well as the Nov. 27 G1 Japan Cup or another visit to Hong Kong for the Longines Hong Kong International Races.

“The Breeders' Cup [Turf] is after the Arc, so basically the Arc is next on the agenda and once you've won that race, you have a free entry to the Japan Cup, same as the Breeders' Cup, same as Hong Kong,” said Muir. “We can't do them all. It is impossible to do everything.”

A firm decision on where the 5-year-old entire goes after France will be made by Muir, his co-trainer Chris Grassick, injured regular jockey Martin Dwyer, and Pyledriver's owners.

Muir said, “The three owners and me, and definitely Martin–even though he is not riding, he is a big part of this horse's journey–will decide where we go after the Arc. The Breeders' Cup is possible. We will have a meeting and discuss which way we go, but the Arc is next.”

Ridden by PJ McDonald on Saturday, Pyledriver pleased Muir on Sunday morning.

Muir added, “He is grand, really good this morning. He has come out of the race well, he is very happy. I was out with him about 5 a.m. this morning and he is fine.”

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Pyledriver in Good Order For Coronation Cup Defence

Last year's G1 Coronation Cup victor Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) is pleasing co-trainers William Muir and Chris Grassick ahead of a title defence of that Epsom contest on June 3. The 5-year-old entire, who races for the La Pyle Partnership, won the Listed Churchill S. in November of 2021 and signed off his year when second by a length in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin in December. He was unplaced in the G3 Neom Turf Cup in Saudi Arabia, but improved to fourth in Meydan's G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic on Mar. 26.

“He's in really good shape, I took him to Newbury on Sunday, he went round and worked well and just because I know where he is and I know what he does, that's why I'm really excited, not because he broke any land-speed world records,” said Muir. “I was delighted with it because he has had a break and he has come back and just shown he is exactly where he was before his other races all through the winter.

“He's looked great out the past few days and we now have to just get through the next two weeks and we will be in with a great chance. Things can change with racehorses day by day, but at this present stage he's in good form. He just did what I wanted to see, like out in Dubai and Hong Kong, he just seems to be in that sort of place.”

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