Boy Ready For Sussex Assignment

South African raider Asiatic Boy is on course to make his British debut in the BGC Sussex Stakes at Goodwood on August 1.

Mike de Kock's charge created a huge impression when running out a nine-and-a-half-length winner of the UAE Derby at Nad Al Sheba in March.

Asiatic Boy has been off the track since that outing but de Kock plans to send him to Goodwood en-route to a crack at York's Juddmonte International Stakes next month.

'Thankfully, things have been going pretty well with him and he is on target for Goodwood,' said the trainer.

'He needed a break. Obviously he had a hard campaign in Dubai, but he is going very nicely and he will be at Goodwood first before going on to the Juddmonte International at York which is his main mission.

'What we have to see is whether he is as effective on turf as he is on dirt, that's the big question mark I think,' de Kock told At The Races.

'He works at home like a pretty awesome horse. He's done it in Dubai against his own age group and I feel that if he can do it against older horses, we can maybe start to get a little carried away.'

Asiatic Boy is one of 24 horses still in the Sussex Stakes at the latest forfeit stage.

Aidan O'Brien has a strong team in the mile race, headed by last year's 2000 Guineas hero George Washington.

(C) PA Sport