Maarek could have a busy week David Nagle's stablestar Maarek could be in for a busy week, with Sunday's Midsummer Sprint at Cork a possible warm-up for a trip to Royal Ascot. The proven mudlark won five times during an outstanding 2012 campaign, enjoying his finest hour when winning the British Champions Sprint at Ascot in October. He made a winning return at Naas in mid-April and was far from disgraced when fifth in the Duke Of York Stakes on his most recent outing. With conditions at Ascot looking likely to be on the quick side, Nagle has decided to declare Maarek for Sunday's Listed contest, but he is not ruling out the prospect of doing the double should the rains arrive in Berkshire. "He's in good form. It looks like Ascot is not going to come up soft enough for us, so we decided to run here," said the trainer. "We'll play it by ear as regards the Diamond Jubilee. There is some rain forecast, but it's not enough. We are hoping for a bit more, and if it comes he'll go there. "Last year he ran in a Listed race at the Curragh and five days later he won the Group Two at Ascot on Champions Day. "They are calling it yielding in Cork at the moment and that would do us, but obviously any more rain won't do him any harm. "You'd imagine he's the class horse in the race on Sunday, and we couldn't be happier with him. He's come out of his last run at York perfect."
