Somnus Misses Nunthorpe Date Tim Easterby has announced Somnus will bypass the VC Bet Nunthorpe Stakes at York next week. The five-year-old finished a disappointing 10th of 13 runners in the Group One Prix Maurice de Gheest on Sunday - a race he won last year - but scoped dirty immediately after. 'He coughed afterwards which explains why he didn´t go well in France,' said the Malton-based handler. 'He was clear going there and dirty after. 'I wasn´t expecting it all. I thought he´d be clean as a bell so I was delighted that we found something wrong.' Easterby is also concerned that the ground at York on August 18 may be on the fast side for the Pivotal gelding. Somnus needs the going on the soft side to be at his best, as he showed when winning the Sprint Cup at Haydock in September 2003. He will now be primed for another tilt at that Group One event on September 3, after losing out to Tante Rose by a short head last season. 'He´s come home fine - you wouldn´t know there was anything wrong with him,' added Easterby. 'He won´t run in the Nunthorpe because it isn´t going to be soft. 'It´s a shame about Sunday because he was in great form, but the Sprint Cup is still the target.'? PA Sport
