Gold On Course For Ripon

Ante-post favourite Texas Gold will take his chance in Saturday´s William Hill Great St Wilfrid Stakes at Ripon after being confirmed a intended starter by trainer Willie Muir.

And regular partner Martin Dwyer will be back in the plate after Kieren Fallon steered the seven-year-old to a cosy success over five furlongs at Haydock Park last weekend.

'He seems in great form and I can´t see anything that will stop him running,' Muir told At The Races. 'The weather looks settled and Martin Dwyer is booked to ride - so it is next stop Ripon.'

Reflecting on Saturday´s win, Muir continued: 'Kieren got the horse in a perfect position but there was loads of trouble in front of him.

'He came back in and said the horse had got him out of jail - he said the turn of foot he showed was fantastic.'

Texas Gold will try and complete the same big-race double as Smokin Beau last year, with Muir´s charge having come off second best to that rival on his previous outing, which came on the all-weather track at Lingfield.

'We just had a poor draw - we were drawn nine on that day and if you watch the race, Smokin Beau just gets first run on us into the straight and we just get held-up out wide,' Muir explained.

'Once he got out he was coming all of the way to the line, but the line came sooner than we did.'

(C) PA Sport