The G1 Coronation Cup and G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. are among the targets that trainer William Muir has set out for Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) for the first half of the year. The 4-year-old-who last year won the G2 King Edward VI S. at Royal Ascot and the G2 Great Voltigeur S. before finishing third in the G1 St Leger-will start out in the G2 Jockey Club S. at Newmarket before aiming for the Coronation, the G2 Hardwicke S. at Royal Ascot and the King George.
“If he wins all those, we'll decide where we go after that,” Muir said. “He's been cantering since early January and doing two steady canters for the last four to six weeks. He still moves like a ballet dancer.”
Muir said the bay stayed in his Lambourn stable over the winter.
“He had a fantastic break,” he said. “His break was an exercise on the horse walker in the morning, and then he went out in the field for four hours every afternoon. He then went into small paddock on his own in the afternoons–which was lovely, when there were no others out–and he loved it, acting like a stallion in a stallion paddock. He thrived and put on about 55-60 kilos.
“He was still a boy last year. Now he's turning into a man. He's got his strength very nearly. This year, and next year, should be when he's at his peak. I'm looking forward to it now.”
Pyledriver was last seen finishing seventh of 10 over the heavy going in the G1 Champion S. on Oct. 17.
“I wasn't disappointed with his last run,” Muir said. “He was still a big baby and still finished seventh in the Champion S. and finished in front of Mishriff, and the way we rode him on the day nothing came from behind. We decided to ride him the same, but I feel being forward on the day was a big advantage. From that day on, he was on his holidays. We lost nothing in defeat. He did everything great for us. Personally I feel the Leger, in which he ran a fantastic race, left its mark. It took more out of him than we realised.”
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