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Eve Lodge Likely For Fred Darling

Group 3 winner Eve Lodge (GB) (Ardad {Ire}) is pointing to Newbury's G3 Sirenia S. on Apr. 16. The Charlie Fellowes trainee was last seen running ninth in the Sept. 25 G1 Cheveley Park S. The Mathis Stables, LLC runner has wintered well and holds a G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas entry. If she does not start in the Sirenia, she would instead run slightly earlier that month in the G3 Nell Gwyn S. at Newmarket on Apr. 12. Both races are over seven furlongs.

“Eve Lodge is really well,” said Fellowes. “She has had a good winter and a clear spring so far and the plan is to probably start her off in either the Nell Gywn or the Fred Darling, with a view to stretching out over a mile,” he said.

“She's got a Guineas entry and she's also entered in the French Guineas. My gut feeling is if she is good enough to run in a Guineas, the French Guineas might suit her better because you get more cut in the ground and a sharper track round a bend might suit her best. She looks great, she's where we want her and ideally I'd like to run her in the Fred Darling.”

Another Fellowes runner, the G3 Bengough S. heroine Vadream (GB) (Brazen Beau {Aus}), is possible for the G1 Platinum Jubilee S. at Royal Ascot in June. She was last seen running fifth in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint S. at Ascot in October.

“She is doing great,” the trainer said. “She had a really hard year last year so rather than cast our eye abroad, we decided to give her a proper holiday and freshen her up for this year.

“Because she won the Bengough at the end of last year, she carries a Group 3 penalty at the moment and there aren't a multitude of options for her until either York for the [G2] Duke of York [on May 11] or possibly we might look at the G2 Greenlands S. at the Curragh in the second half of May.

“If the ground came up soft at York I'd be happy to head up there, but if it was quick ground I'd be worried that six furlongs might be on the sharp side for her. We might look at going to Ireland where it might just suit her a bit better. She could go over there and then to Royal Ascot for the Platinum Jubilee.”

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Options Open For Pyledriver

Group 1 winner Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) might defend his G1 Coronation Cup crown later this spring. The 5-year-old has exited his fourth-place finish in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic in good order, according to co-trainer William Muir, who holds the license with Chris Grassick. Owned by the La Pyle Partnership, the entire won the Listed Churchill S. at Lingfield last November and was a very good second in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin on Dec. 12. In the G3 Neom Turf Cup on Feb. 26, Pyledriver could not overcome a wide draw and ran 11th.

“Obviously, whatever happened on Saturday, we were delighted we finished a length behind the winner [Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}],” said Muir. “Frankie [Dettori] said, 'I'm so sorry, I should have won. If I'd have got the split I'd have won. I never got the split, I've had to check his momentum, take him out of his stride and asked him to quicken again–and he did quicken again'. He said, 'You were just unlucky in running and you have got a very, very good horse here'.

“In Saudi Arabia we were drawn 14 and had no chance.

“When that horse came down bedside us (Channel Cat), Martin (Dwyer) said, 'I'll look after him for the next one'.

“It was just one of those things and on Saturday he ran out of his skin. We thought he would be bang there and we were. We are delighted.”

Another crack at the Hong Kong Vase in December is also in play, as is the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. on July 23.

Added Muir, “The owners, before we went to Dubai, said they would like to work back from Hong Kong, taking in the Arc and let's say the King George, with maybe something in between. But I said, 'If he comes back from Dubai and he is jumping and kicking, why don't we try to win the Coronation again?'.

“I went down to the stable yesterday morning. His legs were great, he ate most of his food, he looked fantastic and I spoke to the boys this morning. He is on the flight, he has put back on the six kilos he lost in the race, so it is fantastic.

“He was a horse who was always going to get better with age, because all his family does. They just improve and improve. When he gets home, I will sit down and get all the races mapped out with the owners.

“Frankie, when he jumped off, said, 'Run him in the King George, because that is your race. You know the track suits him, so run him in the King George'. The Coronation and the King George could happen. I was saying we could then miss one if we wanted to go back to Hong Kong.”

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Commonwealth Cup Beckons For Castle Star

Craig Bernick and Antony Beck's Group 3 winner Castle Star (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) will target the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, according to trainer Fozzy Stack. The colt broke his maiden in his third start, the Listed First Flier S. at The Curragh on May 3. He followed that effort with a two-length come-from-behind victory in the G3 Marble Hill S. there later that month. Second in the G2 Railway S. in June, Castle Star was fourth in the G1 Phoenix S. on Aug. 8. He improved to run Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}) to just a half-length in the G1 Middle Park S. at Newmarket in his 2-year-old finale on Sept. 25.

“He is in good order,” said Stack. “I'm happy with how he has wintered and the prime objective will be the Commonwealth Cup. We will probably give him a run or two beforehand. There are a couple of options at Naas and Navan, or there's a race at Ascot [Commonwealth Cup Trial] beforehand. It will be one or two of those.

“I don't think the plan will be to run in the Irish 2000 Guineas. I can't see that. I think he is a sprinter. He ran a cracker at Newmarket on his last run, but I don't see him getting a mile at that level.

“The race at Navan at the end of April is a possible starting point and there is a race at Ascot at the end of April. It will probably be one or two of those and if he ran at Ascot, he will probably just do Ascot and then Royal Ascot.”

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Perfect Power Camp Eyes Greenham

Dual Group 1 winner Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}) will likely make his 3-year-old bow in the Apr. 16 G3 Greenham S. Sponsored By Watership Down Stud at Newbury for trainer Richard Fahey. The Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum colourbearer has won four of his six starts. He emerged a narrow winner of the G2 Norfolk S. at Royal Ascot last June and added the G1 Prix Morny in France two starts later. In his season finale, the bay was a half-length winner of the G1 Middle Park S. on Sept. 25. However, the Greenham will be the colt's first start beyond six furlongs.

“He's in great form,” said Fahey. “We're very happy with him. Physically he's done very well and we'll probably start him off in the Greenham.

“He gets in without a Group 1 penalty. It's the only Group 3 early in the year he gets in without a penalty. Going from six to seven would suit more then going from six to a mile. We'll get an idea after that.”

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