Group 1 winner Bucanero Fuerte (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) is unlikely to contest the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas and instead be pointed for the May 1 G3 Ascot Commonwealth Cup Trial S., according to trainer Adrian Murray.
Murray said of the Amo Racing colourbearer, “Bucanero goes to Ascot, he's in the six-furlong race. It's highly unlikely he will go for the Guineas.
“We're going to campaign him as a sprinter, his brother [Wooded (Ire)] won a Group 1 over five furlongs and he shows us an awful lot of speed. The Guineas could just kill him in the last couple of furlongs.”
Third in the G2 Coventry S. at Royal Ascot last year, the bay rebounded to take the G2 Railway S. and G1 Phoenix S. in succession at the Curragh. His juvenile finale was a third to Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 National S. in September.
Murrah had an update on Elegant Man (Arrogate), who also races in the bright purple and white silks of Kia Joorabchian's operation. Runner-up in the Listed Wildwood Flower S. in December, he won a Dundalk affair in his 4-year-old bow in January, and made it two on the bounce in a Newcastle handicap in March. Murray is considering either the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup on May 26 or the G1 Coronation Cup five days later. However, Elegant Man's participation will depend on where fellow Amo runner and Group 1 winner King Of Steel (Wootton Bassett {GB}) runs next.
“He will be going for the Tattersalls Gold Cup or the Coronation Cup at Epsom,” added Murray of Elegant Man. “It will depend on where they go with King Of Steel as he's in the two of them and we will be avoiding him. Whichever he doesn't go for, we would go for.
“Kia has a good hand and some nice horses. We've got a great summer to hopefully look forward to.”
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