Lake Forest may be aimed at targets away from Goodwood

Lake Forest rsquo;s participation in the Qatar Goodwood Festival is uncertain, with connections eyeing other options for the colt's summer campaign.

Lake Forest Unlikely for Goodwood as Connections Monitor Conditions

Lake Forest may miss next week’s Qatar Goodwood Festival, with alternative summer targets in the reckoning.

The No Nay Never colt, who is trained by William Haggas, was the winner of the Gimcrack as a two-year-old and runner-up in both the Commonwealth Cup and the Hackwood Stakes in his three-year-old season.

In November last year, he claimed a lucrative success in the Golden Eagle at Rosehill, Australia, although this season he is yet to get his head in front across three starts.

He was last seen finishing sixth in the Criterion Stakes at York having started as the favourite, and while he holds entries at Goodwood it is more likely he will work towards an eventual return to the Knavesmire instead.

“He’s grand. He has two entries at Goodwood, in the Lennox on the Tuesday and the Sussex on the Wednesday, but we don’t know if we’re going to take up those entries,” said Sean Graham, racing manager to Tony Bloom, co-owner alongside Ian McAleavy.

City of York and Hungerford Stakes on the Radar

The Hungerford Stakes and the City of York Stakes are under consideration, depending on the going.

“We’re thinking maybe of the Hungerford for him, which is a Group Two, and then the City of York Stakes, which is also seven furlongs and is now a Group One,” Graham continued.

“He’s the opposite to (stablemate) Sky Majesty in that he definitely wants quick ground. There will be an element of finding his ground so those plans are ground dependent as well.”