Brunel Booked For Irish Bid

Brunel will bid for a second successive Group Three victory in Sunday´s Emirates Airline Minstrel Stakes at the Curragh.

The William Haggas-trained four-year-old dead-heated in the Prix de la Porte Maillot at Longchamp last time out and is now set to tackle the seven-furlong event at the Irish track.

'The plan is to run in Ireland and Darryll Holland will take the ride,' Harry Herbert, spokesman for owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, confirmed.

'We are delighted with him at the moment - he still seems to be improving now that he has got his full strength and he is taking his racing really well.

'I think the stiff seven furlongs at the Curragh will suit him and we are looking forward to a little trip to Ireland.'

Brunel was considered a lucky joint-winner of the French event as some observers thought that Coupe De Champe looked to have shaded it.

However, the photo-finish equipment was out of action, prompting the judge to call a dead-heat.

Herbert added: 'It was a bit of a strange race last time. He lost a shoe in the final furlong which just caused him to switch legs and lose momentum and otherwise he might have won outright.

'Perhaps we were a little lucky in that the photo-finish camera had been zapped by lightning, but who knows?'

? PA Sport