Sir Maximilian, red cap© Photo Healy Racing
Tim Pitt's stable star Sir Maximilian bids to continue his rapid ascent up the sprinting ladder in the Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh this afternoon.
Since kicking off his season with a handicap victory at Chester, the five-year-old has claimed the lucrative Rockingham Handicap over this weekend's course and distance before returning to Ireland to land last month's Abergwaun Stakes at Tipperary.
With proven top-level speedsters like Stepper Point and Extortionist in this Group Three field, Pitt will find out whether Sir Maximilian is up to a potential tilt at the Prix de l'Abbaye on Arc day at Longchamp.
"This has been the plan since Tipperary really, he's very well in himself and we're very much looking forward to it," said the trainer.
"He's a course and distance winner, albeit in a handicap, but he proved himself at stakes level at Tipperary and the form book tells you a fast-run five furlongs is what he needs.
"We're drawn alongside Stepper Point, so hopefully he'll give us a nice lead."
Pitt admits he has been surprised by the progress his five-year-old has made.
"When he started off the year winning a handicap at Chester off a mark of 88, you wouldn't have thought he'd end up running in top sprint company, but full credit to the horse he's blossomed throughout the year and deserves his place in the field," he said.
"The dream is that he wins and then goes for the Prix de l'Abbaye, but we'll worry about this race first. Even if he doesn't win, if he runs well and shows he can be competitive at this level, he would probably deserve to go to Longchamp. He's a 109-rated five-furlong sprinter, where else do you go with him?"
Few would begrudge the William Muir-trained Stepper Point an overdue victory, having found only the brilliant Sole Power too strong in both the King's Stand at Royal Ascot and the Nunthorpe at York.
Muir said: "He's run some great races all season and runs a solid race every time. He'll run at the weekend and then it will be the Abbaye, fingers crossed."
Just a short-head behind Stepper Point when third in the Nunthorpe was Extortionist, who has enjoyed a tremendous three-year-old campaign for Olly Stevens. He ran a rare disappointing race in the Sprint Cup at Haydock, but Stevens is hopeful he can bounce back, with Andrea Atzeni taking the ride for the first time.
Stevens said: "I sort of wish I hadn't run him at Haydock as the ground wasn't as good as they said it was and he just didn't handle it. Thankfully Pat Smullen didn't give him a hard time and thought about his next race and I'm very thankful for that.
"I'm really excited about running him as a stiff five furlongs at the Curragh should suit him well and it will also be a good opportunity for Andrea to get to know him ahead of next season. I'm hoping he comes back saying he's fallen in love with the horse.
"We know he's a horse who can turn around quite quickly - the last time he won a Group Three it was his third run in 14 days. He's had a long year and I just hope the run at Haydock hasn't had any ill effect on him."
The David Marnane-trained Jamesie has done most of his running over six furlongs and was last seen edging out Gordon Lord Byron in the Renaissance Stakes.
"We know he's at this level. Whether he's at this level at five furlongs, we're not sure, but our hand is forced to a certain extent," said Marnane.
"It's a stiff five furlongs, so we're just hoping he can keep tabs on them early and if he gets to eyeball them at the finish, we know he's pretty good at that. Whatever happens he's had a great year. He won in Meydan and has won a Group Three at home, so you can't ask for much more than that.
"This will probably be his last run of the year, so we'll see what happens, but he's in great form and in a great place at the moment." Russian Soul is a regular in these races for Mick Halford, who said: "He's a very consistent horse and he's in great form, so we'll see what happens. Sir Maximilian and Guerre might be the two to beat and we didn't do great with the draw (stall three), but we're happy with our horse and hoping for the best. "
