Trainer Michael Dods admits ground conditions will determine whether talented sprinter Que Amoro makes her return to action in the Casumo Best Odds Guaranteed Temple Stakes at Haydock Park on Saturday.
The five year old mare is one of 10 entries that remain on course for the five furlong Group Two contest following today’s five-day confirmation stage.
After giving Battaash a real fright on her Group One debut in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York on her penultimate outing last season, Que Amoro failed to fire at the same level on her final start when beating only two rivals home in the Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh.
Despite the daughter of Es Que Love ending the year on a low key note, Dods is confident a she can leave her latest effort behind and resume her progression this campaign.
Dods said: “The Temple Stakes is the plan for Que Amoro but she is a decent ground horse and we have just got to monitor the ground. If it stays soft, the likelihood is that she won’t run but if it dries up then she would run.
“She ran really well in the Nunthorpe and the ground was not really that ideal for her that day either. She had a hard race there and that’s why she probably didn’t run her best in Ireland while the ground changed.
“She seems in good form and she looks to have strengthened up. She is all about speed. She wants speed tracks on top of the ground. She has never run at Haydock before but I think the track will be fine - just the ground is the issue.”
Having trained the likes of Group One winning sprinters Mabs Cross and Mecca’s Angel in recent seasons, Dods is confident that Que Amoro can enjoy her own moment centre stage at some point this campaign.
He added: “It is very hard to compare the three of them. Mecca’s Angel was all about speed whereas Mabs Cross struggled early on in races then stayed on strongly at the end.
“Que Amoro is another that is very speedy. One feature they do have is they are all tough.
“I think she can win a big race. The plan was to go to Haydock then the King’s Stand at Royal Ascot and back to York for the Nunthorpe where hopefully it will be decent ground.”
Although dual Group One winner Glass Slippers, from the yard of Kevin Ryan, is a notable omission, the race still contains a number of interesting entries include the John Quinn-trained pair of Keep Busy and Liberty Beach.
Other key contenders are the Charlie Appleby-trained Lazuli, who was last sighted when successful the Group Three Palace House Stakes at Newmarket on May 1st and last year’s Group Two Flying Childers Stakes winner Ubettabelieveit from the Nigel Tinkler yard.
Michael Bell is another hoping the ground will be suitable to allow the The Lir Jet to take in the Group Two Casumo Bet10 Get10 Sandy Lane Stakes ahead of an outing in the Commonwealth Cup Royal Ascot.
Last year’s Group Two Norfolk Stakes hero, who finished third on his return in the seven-furlong Greenham Stakes at Newbury, is one of 13 in contention for the six furlong Group Two contest.
Bell said: “The Sandy Lane is very much the plan as long as the ground is suitable. We were very happy with his run at Newbury and we thought he would need it.
“He ran slightly better than we thought. It was a very encouraging comeback. We didn’t do a huge amount of work as he had a busy time last year and we were going there to check if he was in a good place and he certainly was.
“He is in good form and he has trained on. The main aim is the Commonwealth Cup and I would say he will run at Haydock first if the ground is right.”
Diligent Harry, the impressive winner of the 3 Year Old All Weather Championships Final at Lingfield on Good Friday, is one of two entries for trainer Clive Cox alongside last season’s Rockfel Stakes heroine Isabella Giles.
Richard Fahey is another trainer double handed after entering both Venture Diamond and Umm Kulthum, while the William Haggas-trained Light Refrain, who landed the Listed Kilvington Stakes at Nottingham, could fly the flag for The Queen.
The Archie Watson-trained Dragon Symbol could bid to put his unbeaten record on the line while other notable entries include the David Evans-trained Rohaan, winner of last month’s Group Three Pavilion Stakes at Ascot, and the Martyn Meade-trained Method.
4:10pm Casumo Best Odds Guaranteed Temple Stakes (Group 2) 5f
Horse Age/Wgt Owner Trainer
- Ainsdale 4-9-04 David Armstrong Karl Burke
- Declaring Love 4 9-01 Miss M Evans John Butler
- Desert Safari (IRE) 4-9-04 Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum Mark Johnston
- Jabbarockie 8-9-04 M Balmer, K Sheedy, P Copple, C Dingwall Eric Alston
- Keep Busy (IRE) 4-9-01 Mrs Doreen Tabor John Quinn
- Lady In France 5-9-01 Clipper Logistics Karl Burke
- Lazuli (IRE) 4-9-04 Godolphin Charlie Appleby
- Liberty Beach 4-9-01 Philip Wilkins John Quinn
- Que Amoro (IRE) 5-9-1 Mr P Appleton & Mrs Anne Elliott Michael Dods
- Ubettabelieveit (IRE) 3-8-13 Martin Webb Racing Nigel Tinkler
10 confirmations
3:35pm Casumo BET10GET10 Sandy Lane Stakes (Group 2) 6f
- Horse Age Owner Trainer
- Apollo One 3 pcracing.co.uk Peter Charalambous
- Diligent Harry 3 The Dilinquents Clive Cox
- Dragon Symbol 3 Mr Yoshiro Kubota Archie Watson
- Isabella Giles (IRE) 3 Paul & Clare Rooney Clive Cox
- Laws of Indices (IRE) 3 Miss C R Holmes Ken Condon IRE
- Light Refrain 3 The Queen William Haggas
- Method (IRE) 3 Manton Park Racing Martyn Meade
- Mujbar 3 Shadwell Estate Company Ltd Charlie Hills
- Rohaan (IRE) 3 Chris Kiely Racing Limited David Evans
- Saint Lawrence (IRE) 3 Mr D. J. Deer Roger Varian
- The Lir Jet (IRE) 3 Qatar Racing Ltd & RacehorseClub.com Michael Bell
- Umm Kulthum (IRE) 3 Mr Saeed Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi Richard Fahey
- Ventura Diamond (IRE) 3 Middleham Park Racing XXVIII Richard Fahey
13 entries
1 Irish-trained
