Dods eyes valuable Sapphire Michael Dods has identified the Invincible Spirit Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh on July 18 as a possible target if Mecca's Angel skips the Coral Charge on Saturday. The trainer is "pretty certain" his star sprinter will not take her chance in the Group Three over five furlongs at Sandown. The four-year-old was an impressive winner on her seasonal reappearance at Longchamp in early May, but missed an intended appearance in the King's Stand at Royal Ascot on account of the drying conditions. With the terrain similarly quick at Sandown and the chances of rain slim, Mecca's Angel looks set to bypass another engagement. Dods said: "I've spoken to the owner and I don't think we'll be running. "I'll check with the course at 6pm, just in case it's looking like they'll get some rain. I'll have to decide at some stage and I'll leave it as late as possible, but I don't want her to travel down there and then not run, so we'll decide tonight. "I'm pretty certain she won't be running, which is a shame as she's in great form, but we won't be risking her on fast ground." "There's a race in Ireland for her, the Sapphire Stakes, in a couple of weeks' time, so we'll probably go there if we get some rain," said the Darlington-based trainer.
