Rain would boost Sand Ascot dream
Tuesday 26 May 2015 18:19, UK
Giles Bravery is hoping for a little ease in the ground to run Cobana Sand in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot.
The Newmarket trainer is keen to give the daughter of Captain Rio a crack at the Group Two over five furlongs next month after she lost her maiden tag in good style at Leicester on Monday.
However, if conditions are unsuitable, Bravery will wait for the Empress Stakes, a Listed race over six furlongs, at Newmarket on June 27.
"She's grand, very relaxed and ate up. All seems well and we're very happy with her," he said.
"We'd like a bit of juice in the ground for the Queen Mary. If not, we could fall back on the Empress Stakes the following week if needs be.
"At the moment the Queen Mary is where we will enter her and aim for, if we can get a nice bit of rain. People say you need everything in your favour at Ascot, but that is our aim at the moment."
Bravery said Cobana Sand is a different type to Torgau, who finished sixth for the stable in the Queen Mary in 1999 before going on to land the Cherry Hinton Stakes at Newmarket's July meeting.
"There are no similarities really. Cobana Sand is a more solid type. They are different shapes," he said.
