HORSE RACING

Connoisseur's Newmarket aim

by Johnny Ward , 21 June 2009

The Darley July Cup at Newmarket next month is the most immediate plan for Art Connoisseur.

Michael Bell's somewhat forgotten three-year-old won an extremely high-class Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot on Saturday, recalling his Coventry success achieved at the same venue as a juvenile.

He has had plenty of injury problems since that win, but seemed to be better than ever on Saturday.

Trainer Michael Bell told PA on Sunday: "He's fine this morning.

"He's going to have a canter tomorrow and hopefully the splint issue is behind him now. He's not at all sore this morning and he was very impressive yesterday.

"The splint has settled in time but what I didn't know was whether going at racing pace would affect him. It didn't, which was good.

"All being well it's the July Cup [next], but fast ground is the key. We will monitor the ground, that is a prerequisite for him, but that would be very much the plan.

"That Coventry form was rock solid so if he was back to his best, he would have a chance and unbeknown to his trainer he was."

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