Deira Mile (Ire) could be pointed towards the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby after his fourth-placed effort in the Epsom Classic.
The Owen Burrows-trained Camelot (GB) colt was fourth in the Futurity Trophy last season and began this year with a taking four-length victory in a Windsor novice.
At Epsom he stepped up to a-mile-and-a-half for the first time and started at 28-1 for the Betfred-sponsored Derby, where he was ridden by Jim Crowley and drawn in stall 14 of 16.
Though the running of the race did not favour the Ahmad Al Shaikh-owned three-year-old, Burrows was still pleased with the performance and connections are now considering taking him to the Curragh for the Irish Derby at the end of the month.
“I'm not saying we were unlucky in any way, but it wasn't the plan to be that far back,” Burrows said. “We had to sit in mid-div, he just stepped a bit slow and that was where Jim unfortunately found himself.
“It was a big run down the outside, we did have a nice clear run in doing that. But the winner had a nice trip down the inner, the second and third had a nice trip, I thought it was a big run.
“We'll see how he is through this week but the Irish Derby could suit him, the nature of the track at the Curragh I think would suit him a lot better. We'll play it by ear, he's a Leger horse and that's what Jim felt as well so that will be the ultimate aim. It's about a month away, the Irish Derby, so he'll have a bit of time. It's not definite he'll go, but we'll have a look.”
Burrows' stable is also home to another Group 1 performer in Anmaat (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}), who took the Prix d'Ispahan when last seen around a year ago.
Injury interrupted his season in the run up to the Eclipse following that and has kept him off the track since, but he has returned to training and is expected to make a comeback later in the summer.
Burrows said, “He's with me, he's been back for a little while now. He won't be going to Ascot as he won't be ready until the end of July, probably. Fingers crossed, he's busy but we've no plans as such.
“I've given him an Irish Champion S. entry and we hope he'll come to hand at the end of July. He had quite a complex foot injury when we were prepping him for the Eclipse and that was a pain, but, touch wood, he's had plenty of time to rehab back at Shadwell.
“He looks well, he's moving well but like myself, he's carrying that bit of extra condition that he could do with shifting! We'll get busy over the next couple of month and all being well he should be ready by the end of July.”
Burrows has also outlined plans for classy sorts Alflaila (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) and War Rooms (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}). Alflaila has an entry for the Prince of Wales's S. over a-mile-and-a-quarter, but the Listed Wolferton S. over the same trip will also be considered.
“He's on the march so to speak, so I've left him in the Prince of Wales's at Royal Ascot,” said Burrows. “He did a nice bit of work on Saturday and he's got a couple of important bits this week, we might go for the Prince of Wales's or we might lower our sights a bit and go for the Wolferton. This will be his first run for quite a while, but hopefully you'll see him in one of those races.”
Also aiming for the big meeting is Alyanaabi, whose fifth-placed 2,000 Guineas run has looked increasingly useful as the second- and third-placed horses -Rosallion
(Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) and Haatem (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire})-filled the first two places in that order in the Irish equivalent.
“All being well he is going to go for the St James's Palace, the Guineas form is stacking up pretty strongly,” Burrows said of the colt.
“We've got a few lengths to make up on the winner, on the second and on the third, to be fair, but we're on another day and another track. It's different, the old mile, I think it'll suit him better so we're rolling the dice and we're going to go there.”
War Rooms is another Burrows inmate with Royal Ascot in his agenda with the trainer concluding, “He'll have an entry in the Hampton Court and I left him in the King Edward VII as well. We'll take a look at both races and speak to the owners to see which is the best option for him-all being well he'll be there.”
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