Beresford next for Cornerstone Andy Oliver's promising juvenile First Cornerstone will have his next start in the Juddmonte Beresford Stakes at the Curragh on September 30. With the main aim this season being the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster next month, Oliver feels the Beresford over a mile will suit him far more than the seven-furlong National Stakes this weekend would have done, so he decided against supplementing. "First Cornerstone is a miler and he is always going to be vulnerable to a colt with more speed than him over seven furlongs," said Oliver. "With the ground expected to ride on the good side on Saturday I was reluctant to run him in the National Stakes, especially as we would have had to pay a supplementary fee of 20,000 euro for the privilege. "I'd much rather take the conservative move, wait a couple of weeks, and run back over a mile. Besides, the timing between the Beresford and the Racing Post Trophy is better this way." Another factor in the decision was that First Cornerstone can develop mucus in his throat from time to time and developed a skin disease after his Futurity Stakes victory. Owner Team Valor's racing manager Barry Irwin said on www.teamvalor.com: "Neither of these would have stopped him running this weekend but they are telltale signs he may not have been at his best, and to win a race like this, a horse needs to be in top form."
