Roy holds Sixties Icon hope

Owner and British Horseracing Authority chairman Paul Roy is hopeful Sixties Icon can make his presence felt in the Breeders' Cup Marathon at Santa Anita on Saturday.

The Jeremy Noseda-trained 2006 St Leger hero has enjoyed something of a renaissance of late, winning his last three starts in Group company, most recently when running away with the Cumberland Lodge Stakes at Ascot.

Roy reports the five-year-old to have touched down in America and although he will not be there to see his horse line-up at one of the world's biggest meetings, he is certainly looking forward to the race.

"Sixties Icon had a gallop at Lingfield last weekend and then headed out to America. I think he should be there by now," said Roy.

"Unfortunately, I will not be there to see the race as I'm too busy here in England.

"I've been delighted with him this season. He has won three consecutive Group Three races now which is very pleasing.

Good chance

"He is running on the artificial surface for the first time but we think he will handle it well.

"They say the surface suits horses who like cut in the ground and I think that is something he has got better with as he has got older.

"Jeremy has been very happy with his work and we think he has got a good chance."

Although the son of Galileo will be retired to stud at the end of the season, Roy is hopeful the trip to America will not be his last as a racehorse.

"He'll go to stud at the end of the year but this might not be his last race," Roy continued.

"There is the possibility that if he comes out of the race well we could go to either Hong Kong or Japan, but that would be if we could get an invite obviously."