Celeron to run in the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday Celeron is set to take up his Group 1 entry in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday. Michael O’Callaghan had initially intended stepping his charge up in trip after an impressive win in the Railway Stakes last month but has now decided to have another go at six furlongs. The Mohaather colt asserted late on to run out a convincing winner of the Group 2 prize last time and the Kildare-based handler has some big targets in mind for the rest of the year. “The plan is to run in the Phoenix,” said O’Callaghan. “I know immediately after the race the last day I was thinking about not running over six again but that I probably had my mind made up before the race. “Afterwards when the dust settles you see the winning margin in a Group 2 over six furlongs. “He’s rated 111 over six so he’s a very high-class colt. He can step up to seven furlongs for the National Stakes and then maybe go to the Breeders’ Cup, that’s the big target. “We thought afterwards, when the dust settled, that it may be a little bit silly to bypass the Phoenix. “The timing is perfect, then it’s a month to the National Stakes and then the bones of six weeks to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. “He’s a big horse, he probably wants a mile next year, but he has a lot of talent and he’s good enough to be rated 111 over six furlongs so we’ll go there next.”
