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SHEIKHZAYEDROAD and Curbyourenthusiasm will mean Trillium Place launches a twin challenge at the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot tomorrow.
The pair are part of an 18-strong field for the historic two-and-half mile contest for the very best staying Flat horses.
The trip is an imponderable for both as Sheikhzayedroad has never gone beyond two miles before and ‘Curb’ hasn’t raced any further than an extended mile and three quarters. Soft ground will make it even more of a stamina test.
Trainer David Simcock said: “Sheikhzayedroad is in very good order and training well.
“He has form on anything, really. What isn’t ideal is going two and a half miles with him (on the soft). It would have been a question mark on fast ground but on soft it’s an even bigger question-mark.
“And all of Curbyourenthusiasm’s best form is on top of the ground.”
Friday is set to see the stable double-handed in the Duke of Edinburgh handicap with both Majeed and Felix Mendehlssohn declared.
David said: “Felix is the only one of our horses who really wants cut in the ground this week. He ran in three stakes races last year and ran very creditably in all of them. The handicapper has just given him half a chance now to drop into handicap company, so we’ll give it a go.”
On the same afternoon, Goldmember runs in the Queen’s Vase – the two-mile race for young staying prospects (three-year-olds only). David indicated the slow underfoot conditions would probably not be perfect for him.
The Cashel Man has the entry for the meeting’s finale – the Queen Alexandra Stakes, a conditions race stretching not far short of three miles!