Shadwell's G2 Darley S. winner Alflaila (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) will make his long-awaited return from injury in the G2 Sky Bet York S. at York on July 24, trainer Owen Burrows revealed. The 4-year-old was sidelined late last year while training for a start in Bahrain in November.
“He has had his rehab back at Shadwell and touch wood it has all gone well,” Burrows said. “We have had plenty of time to prepare him and there was the listed race at Newbury on Saturday or this race, and we'd have had a penalty in the listed race, so we thought we'd have a punt and see how he fared in the Group 2.
“He won the [G3] Strensall at York, so he is a track winner and it would be nice to get him back on the track.”
Alflaila has been entered in the G1 Juddmonte International on Aug. 23.
Burrows has Group 1 winner Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) running in the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth S. on the same day, while G1 Prix d'Ispahan winner Anmaat (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}) will head to the sidelines with a foot abscess, which also ruled him out of the G1 Coral-Eclipse S. earlier this month.
“Losing good horses [through injury] is what I think they call 'character-building',” Burrows quipped. “With Anmaat now likely sidelined for the rest of the season, I think I've done enough character-building for now.
“Hukum is in good form, though. It will be a big weekend for us, that's for sure.”
Shadwell decided not to supplement Al Asifah (GB) (Frankel {GB}) into Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the Curragh. The 3-year-old John and Thady Gosden trainee was a runaway winner of a Goodwood listed event in June, before finishing a sixth behind Warm Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G2 Ribblesdale S. at Royal Ascot on June 22.
“We have left her alone since Ascot,” Angus Gold, racing manager to Shadwell, said. “We will just give her a little bit of time and will bring her back gently later in the season.
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