Tuesday 4 August 2015 18:51, UK
Michael Dods is hoping for rain at York in the next fortnight to allow Mecca's Angel to bid for Group One glory in the Coolmore Nunthorpe.
The four-year-old looked set to take high rank in the sprinting division after an impressive return to action at Longchamp in early May, but Dods' desire to keep his star filly away from fast ground has seen her miss a couple of targets, including the King's Stand at Royal Ascot.
She made her return in last month's Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh, but with conditions again not ideal, she was beaten a neck by Stepper Point and Dods feels that run proved once and for all she must have ease in the ground to be seen at her best.
"She knew she'd had a race on quick ground and I just laid off her for a week, but she's fine now," the trainer told At The Races.
"Paul (Mulrennan) rode her a couple of times last week and he was delighted with her.
"Given the ground, we'll probably go for the Nunthorpe. She's in great form.
"There's other races to look at. We'll probably follow a similar route to last year after that (York), there's Newbury and obviously the Prix de l'Abbaye at the end of the season.
"She's got to have the juice and it would have to be easier than good before we run her again."
Another Dods-trained filly with York on her agenda is Easton Angel.
After winning her first two starts, she ran a fantastic race to fill the runner-up spot behind American filly Acapulco in the Queen Mary at Ascot, but failed to replicate that effort in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket.
"We'll probably go for the Lowther," said Dods.
"Newmarket didn't work out. I felt the ground was quick enough for her and I felt it came a bit quick after Ascot.
"I'm seeing the filly at home now that I saw before I went to Ascot. I think she's in great form.
"I'm looking forward to getting her out again and proving a point with her. She's exciting."
