California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) pleased connections in his racecourse gallop at Ascot on Thursday but original jockey plans to have Frankie Dettori take the mount at Royal Ascot have been shelved. Although Dettori partnered Art Sherman's star over seven furlongs of the Ascot turf it appears the Italian will be required to partner the John Gosden trained Western Hymn (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}) in the G1 Prince Of Wales's S. June 17. Art Sherman's son and assistant Alan was at the track to see the gallop and regarding possible jockey plans he commented, “I don't think Victor (Espinoza) will be coming over but we've got a few European options.” Sherman added, “We brought him (to Ascot) just to make sure he handles a grass track and the turn, which it looked like he did. He's a little bit leaner than he was in Dubai but that race took a lot out of him. He will go back to Rae Guest's in Newmarket now where he will just gallop and he will be given one more breeze next week.”
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