Art ready for Curragh date

Art Connoisseur

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Art Connoisseur faces his stiffest assignment to date when he tackles the Independent Waterford Wedgwood Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday.

The unbeaten juvenile landed the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot last time out and steps up in class this weekend as he takes on five rivals in the six furlong event.

But trainer Michael Bell holds the colt in the highest regard and is confident he can make it four wins from as many outings.

"We just want a clean race really, that is all you can hope for," said Bell.

"He has a turn of foot off a slow pace but he also can travel very well off a fast pace so I'm not too worried how the race is run - he's very uncomplicated.

"We think he's better on faster ground, he copes with softer but you could see the turn of foot he showed at Ascot so obviously he handles a faster surface very well.

"He's done one proper piece of fast work since Ascot, otherwise he has just been doing routine canters - the bit of work he did was good enough to suggest that he didn't need to work again.

"He'll definitely have another run after this. The Prix Morny is an option but the ground at Deauville can be suspect.

"The Middle Park, obviously, and the Dewhurst will also be looked at."