Percy Earmarked For Newbury Return

Vodafone Derby hero Sir Percy could begin his autumn campaign in a Group Three race at Newbury on September 15.

Trainer Marcus Tregoning is considering the Dubai Duty Free Arc Trial over an extended mile and three furlongs before his stable star steps back into the big league.

Sir Percy would have to carry a 7lb penalty for his Epsom Classic triumph should he line up at the Berkshire venue, and would be having his first experience of taking on older horses.

The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on October 1 or the Emirates Airline Champion Stakes at Newmarket on October 14 would then be the Mark Of Esteem colt's end-of-season objective.

'He's good, he's cantering again now and waiting for an autumn campaign,' said the Lambourn trainer.

'We've got this idea of maybe running in something like the Newbury Arc Trial with a penalty, then you'd have to think about either the Champion Stakes or maybe even the Arc if he's going well enough. One of those two.

'He looks great and I've been very happy with him.'

Tregoning has kept Sir Percy under wraps since his Derby triumph in early June.

The trainer watched Saturday's King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot with keen interest.

'It was a funny sort of race and the first four finished close together,' Tregoning said.

'At one point you thought Hurricane Run would not win but of course he got room through on the rails. It was a funny sort of race but the ground was very, very firm.

'I just wondered whether one or two of them did not quite let themselves down on it.

'They finished very close and possibly the fourth (Enforcer), although he's a nice horse, should he have finished so close to those horses?

'On the evidence of that you wouldn't be too worried about taking them on. You would take them on and maybe the three-year-olds are a better lot this year.'

? PA Sport