A multiple Group 1 winner in 2023, the colt won the G1 Prix Morny and G1 Middle Park S. in August and September, respectively.

“He's looking super, he's trotting and we'll probably start him off in the Sandy Lane at Haydock at the end of May,” Simon Crisford told ITV Racing. “One run before Royal Ascot.

“Commonwealth, July Cups–those sort of races we've got up our sleeve. The idea of not starting off in the Pavilion [S., at Ascot] is we'd have to start training him a month earlier. Quite frankly, with the weather we've got at the moment, we're wrapping him up in big, thick blankets.”

Besides his Group 1 exploits, the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained grey was a debut winner at Nottingham last July and added the G2 Richmond S. at second asking at the beginning of August prior to his Group 1 exploits. He is unbeaten in four starts to date.

He added, “He was a little bit on the leg as a 2-year-old. He was tall and lanky and never really looked like a sprinter physically. But now he's beginning to take shape as a sprinter. His temperament is great and there's so much to love about him.

“He's done exceptionally well over the winter and fingers crossed he's got a big season ahead.”

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The colt won the Ascot feature by 1 1/2 lengths in his 3-year-old bow, and races for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum. Cold Case is riding a three-race winning streak after victories at Doncaster in September and in Red Car's Listed Two Year Old Trophy at Redcar in October.

Burke said, “We were delighted with that [the Commonwealth Cup Trial]. He is a lovely horse and hopefully we can get him to win at a higher grade as well and get him a stallion's job with a bit of luck.

“He is a lovely stamp of a horse. I would imagine he will go for the Sandy Lane, then the Commonwealth. If for any reason he doesn't make the Sandy Lane, he will go straight to the Commonwealth.

“Ascot is not an easy track to make all, but he's a horse who will stay further and stay seven [furlongs], I think. Certainly he'll get another 100 yards and he's an exciting horse for the future.”

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“I wasn't concerned about the ground, but he's had to go and prove it in that class,” said Burke. “He's a very good horse and he's tough too. It'll probably be different ground at Ascot, but as long as it's not rattling [firm] I'd be happy. I said this morning that whatever wins this race today will certainly be one of the favourites for Ascot.” Winning rider Clifford Lee added, “I'm delighted to get my first Group-race winner and it feels brilliant. He is very talented and has got a lot of ability. He has won his last six races now, he tries so hard and goes again when another horse comes to him. He is quick and also stays seven furlongs, so the Commonwealth Cup and [G3] Jersey at Royal Ascot could both be on the cards. We will have to see how he comes out of this and what the boss and everyone else chooses.”

Reflecting on the performance of Flaming Rib, trainer Hugo Palmer said, “He's a really tough horse that goes on any ground and I'm delighted he's stepped forward. It's disappointing to finish second, but I think we feel that if we were able to eyeball the winner for the whole race we might have got by him. That's the luck of the draw and that's how it goes. We certainly feel that we're justified in going to Ascot now with a real chance in the big one. He's been narrowly beaten in the main trial so we'll give it a swing.”

El Caballo is the third of five foals and one of three winners produced by a multiple-winning half-sister to G2 Mill Reef S. victor Temple Meads (GB) (Avonbridge {GB}) and G3 Firth of Clyde S. runner-up Sneak Preview (GB) (Monsieur Bond {Ire}). The March-foaled bay is kin to Listed Premio Vittorio Crespi victrix Avengers Queen (GB) (Brazen Beau {Aus}) and a 2-year-old filly and a yearling filly by Havana Grey (GB). Descendants of his multiple-winning second dam Harryana (GB) (Efisio {GB}) also include G3 Hackwood S. and G3 Chipchase S. placegetter Diligent Harry (GB) (Due Diligence).

Saturday, Haydock, Britain
CAZOO SANDY LANE S.-G2, £115,000, Haydock, 5-21, 3yo, 6fT, 1:11.76, gd.
1–EL CABALLO (GB), 128, c, 3, by Havana Gold (Ire)
1st Dam: Showstoppa (GB), by Showcasing (GB)
2nd Dam: Harryana (GB), by Efisio (GB)
3rd Dam: Allyana (Ire), by Thatching (Ire)
1ST GROUP WIN. (17,000gns Wlg '19 TATFOA; £30,000 Ylg '20 GOFFUK). O-Grange Park Racing XVIII & OfO Partners; B-Whitsbury Manor Stud (GB); T-Karl Burke; J-Clifford Lee. £65,217. Lifetime Record: 7-6-1-0, $242,426. *1/2 to Avengers Queen (GB) (Brazen Beau {Aus}), SW-Ity. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Flaming Rib (Ire), 128, c, 3, Ribchester (Ire)–Suddenly (Ger), by Excelebration (Ire). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€40,000 RNA Wlg '19 GOFNOV; 35,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Dolan Dooley Owen; B-Kildaragh Stud (IRE); T-Hugo Palmer. £24,725.
3–Wings of War (Ire), 128, c, 3, Dark Angel (Ire)–Futoon (Ire), by Kodiac (GB). (£140,000 Ylg '20 GOFFUK). O-Isa Salman Al Khalifa; B-Grangemore Stud (IRE); T-Clive Cox. £12,374.
Margins: NK, 1 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 3.50, 5.50, 12.00.
Also Ran: Go Bears Go (Ire), Caturra (Ire), Tippy Toes (GB), Edward Cornelius (Ire), Ever Given (Ire), Gis A Sub (Ire), Vertiginous (Ire). Scratched: Beauty Inspire (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Backers Beware

Drawn in one, Native Trail appears to have a lot of boxes ticked but with his racing style it might be that he needs some luck in a tactical affair with no obvious pace provider. Unless William Buick sends him on from the outset and uses his advantage which is his huge stride, there is the chance that he could get pinned on the fence at a crucial stage. Is his form so superior that he can justifiably be long odds-on here? Joseph O'Brien has a line through the Appleby runner via Ultramarine (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), a maiden still after nine starts who was beaten just six lengths by the favourite in the G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. here in September. There is a fair chance that Buckaroo is much better than that and the way he operated in the Tetrarch over this course and distance means that Native Trail might need to have improved from his 2000 Guineas effort and his juvenile form.

Royal Clues At Haydock

Haydock stage a crucial pair of Group 2 sprints, the six-furlong Cazoo Sandy Lane S. and Temple S. over five, with last year's G1 Nunthorpe S. heroine Winter Power (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}) the star turn in the latter. King Power Racing's racing manager Alastair Donald said, “She's a very quick filly and it's almost about reining in the speed sometimes–a few times she's ran with the choke out a little bit. But I think in the slower ground it might just be able to keep her in a good rhythm early on, rather than going too quick. Tim [Easterby] is very pleased with her and says she's bigger and stronger now, so fingers crossed we can look forward to getting her back to her best.” At the Curragh, another top-level winner is in action in Gary Devlin's Prix de l'Abbaye and Al Quoz Sprint hero A Case of You (Ire) (Hot Streak {Ire}), who takes in the G2 Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands S.

From The Horse's Mouth

   A fascinating Sandy Lane sees the improving El Caballo (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}) tackle some likely lads among the Commonwealth Cup hopefuls, none more so than the proven Go Bears Go (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}). What makes El Caballo interesting is the fact that he is on a winning streak which shows no sign of arresting despite most of it coming on the all-weather. His defeat of Tiber Flow (Ire) (Caravaggio) in Newcastle's 3-Year-Old All-Weather Championships Conditions S. Apr. 15 was boosted by the subsequent Listed Carnarvon S. success of the runner-up and trainer Karl Burke is bullish. “I don't think we've got to the bottom of him yet,” he said. “It's a very strong race and it will be a very truly-run race as well, so we'll know how good he is after Saturday. He has a different action to [former Commonwealth Cup winner] Quiet Reflection and I'd say he probably has more scope than her too. She loved heavy ground, whereas I'm not so sure this fella would want it to be extremely slow–good, good-to-soft should be perfect for him.”

Tough Talk Poised For Marble Hill

Also at the Curragh, the 2-year-olds have their Royal Ascot credentials put to the test in the six-furlong G3 GAIN Marble Hill S., where Moyglare Stud Farm's Tough Talk (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) carries gravitas having beaten the subsequent winners Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) and Shartash (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) on debut over this course and distance Apr. 10. Ryan Moore has opted for Ballydoyle's unbeaten colt Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never) over the stable's 'TDN Rising Star' Deneuve (Ire) (No Nay Never), who could make a leap forward from her narrow winning debut over this trip at Naas Apr. 25. At Goodwood, the 12-furlong Listed William Hill Tapster S. sees the return of last year's G1 Irish Derby runner-up Lone Eagle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

Fourteen Set For Irish 1000 Guineas

Sunday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh has attracted a final field for 14, with Godolphin's Wild Beauty (GB) (Frankel {GB}) the only withdrawal on Friday. Coolmore and Westerberg's May 1 G1 1000 Guineas third Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is one of four nominees from the Aidan O'Brien stable seeking a fourth-straight renewal and the lone contender representing Newmarket's Classic form. She has drawn stall three, with Ryan Moore set to ride her having chosen elsewhere in the Guineas. Ballydoyle also have strong claims with the May 8 G3 Cornelscourt S. winner History (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who will be partnered by Seamie Heffernan, and the Apr. 23 Listed Salsabil S. winner Concert Hall (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) who is ridden by Wayne Lordan with the Rosegreen trio drawn three, four and five respectively. Moyglare Stud's Apr. 2 G3 Ballylinch Stud 1000 Guineas Trial winner Homeless Songs (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) will depart from stall 11, while the G1 Criterium International third Purplepay (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), who was knocked down to Lael Stable for €2 million at Arqana's December sale, is set to make her first start for trainer William Haggas from stall seven.

Click here for the group fields.

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“He's got an entry for the Sandy Lane on Saturday, we're taking a look at that,” said Condon. “The ground is soft and the weather is probably going to be something similar to what we're wanting, he will have an entry there but I won't know until later in the week when I've discussed it with everybody.

“I think if he does go there it will be the [G1] Commonwealth Cup next [at Royal Ascot in June]…and he'll have an entry in the [G1] Prix Maurice de Gheest, maybe even the [G1] Prix Jean Prat.

“He'll be campaigned ambitiously, but he's a horse that's very solid and looks to be improving. He turns up, and when they always turn up you always have a chance.

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