Top sprinter Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) will return from her mid-summer break with a start in the G2 King George Qatar S. at Goodwood on Friday, Aug. 4, trainer John Quinn confirmed on Wednesday.
The triple Group 1-winning sprinter ran second in her seasonal bow, the G2 Duke of York S. in May, and was second and third in the G1 King's Stand S. and G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee S. at Royal Ascot last month.
“Last year we gave her a mid-season break, which she did seem to enjoy, and we have done the same this year but instead of going to Deauville, we decided to go to Goodwood,” said Quinn of the Trainers House Enterprises-owned runner. “There are no easy group races over any distance, but we thought possibly that the Goodwood race might be slightly easier than the [G1] Prix Maurice de Gheest. Another factor, as you know, is that the Prix Maurice de Gheest is 6 1/2 furlongs.”
Just like last year, an international campaign is also being considered with targets from Europe, America, Australia, and Hong Kong all on the table.
“All being well after Goodwood, we go to York for the Nunthorpe and then we would hope to go back to Ireland for the [G1] Flying Five [S. in September],” he added. “We had possibly thought about going to Australia for the Everest but we don't know. I wouldn't rule out the Breeders' Cup again and, after the Breeders' Cup, there is the big [G1] Hong Kong Sprint in December.”
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