Haydock could be an option for Double Rush

Connections have put Double Rush’s July Cup display down to a busy mid-season of running as the Andrew Balding-trained colt targets a return to elite company in the autumn.

The four-year-old began his campaign by rattling off a hat-trick of lucrative handicaps between April and June before meeting with Group-race opposition for the first time at Newmarket.

He eventually finished eight lengths behind winner Comanche Brave in eighth, but there remains reason to believe he is better than that and his next appearance looks set to be in the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock on September 5.

“I suppose it was a below-par performance from what we thought of him, we know he’s a lot better than that and hopefully it’s just an ask too much of him after a tough run of racing this summer,” said Paul Curran, racing manager for owners Ace Stud.

“It’s probably just asking too much of him after three handicaps in the last number of months, so we’ll give him a bit of an easy time and we will bring him back. He’s chipping away, but we’ll do right by him and give him a bit more time.

“He’s come out of the race fine and he’s sound, and we’ve just got to look after him over the next couple of weeks and hopefully get him back racing later in the year in something like the Haydock Sprint or something like that. We certainly still think he’s Group One company.

“We think he’s at that level, the performance in the July Cup probably didn’t justify that but he’s certainly that standard. It was just a lot of racing over the last number of months and a combination of that. He’s definitely in that class.

“He’s come through the ranks and the only place you can think for him other than that is a Group One. He’s a very good horse, we still hold him in high regard and we need to get him back to the Double Rush we know he is.

“We haven’t made a solid plan as such, but the Sprint Cup could be a plan. We will give him as much time as he needs and sit down with Andrew and we could potentially step him back in trip. Definitely making use of Group One company.”

The Blue Point colt has entries over seven furlongs, but Curran is keen to remain at six for the rest of the campaign.

“At the moment we will probably keep him at six furlongs, Shane (Foley) and Oisin (Murphy) have both said he’s a horse that could go seven,” he added.

“For the moment he stays six, the plan is to kick off with a Group One with him to make him a stallion. If he’s not going to do that this year, there is potential that he does stay in training and that could be an option to go up to seven.”