Cecil Stakes Cup Claims

Sergeant Cecil is as low as 5-1 for the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot after a satisfying performance in the Emirates Airline Yorkshire Cup.

Coral promoted Rod Millman's charge to 5-1 joint-favourite on the strength of his second behind Percussionist in the York stayers' contest while William Hill and Paddy Power go 6-1.

Despite racing on unsuitably soft ground, the seven-year-old was only beaten three lengths by the Howard Johnson-trained winner.

'If we could run second in a Group Two on ground that he hated every time then we'd be delighted,' said Millman.

'We'll probably go straight to Ascot now and then there is Goodwood and Doncaster after that.

'He's obviously still running well and although a couple of times it looked like he was starting to struggle as he tried to get to grips with the ground, he kept picking up again.'

Percussionist could bypass a rematch at next month's Royal meeting though, as owner Graham Wylie is not sure the two-and-a-half-mile trip suits his runner.

Wylie owns Percussionist in partnership with Johnson and he was going one better than his second place behind Franklins Gardens last year.

Cherry Mix and Orcadian took the field along at a reasonable pace in the early exchanges, which enabled six of the depleted seven-runner field to hold live chances three furlongs from home.

Percussionist had all bases covered on the run-in, however, and seized the initiative from Cherry Mix before staying on to repel Sergeant Cecil with Orcadian in third.

'He was travelling better than anything turning in and he travelled well throughout ? when it's testing you've got to keep hold of these horses heads,' said winning rider Darryll Holland.

'When I asked him though he picked up well and outstayed them.

'I thought the second ran a wonderful race and he would be seen to better effect on good ground.

'I love these Cup races and they have been good to me over the years. I won this on Franklins Gardens last year and of course I used to ride Double Trigger as well.'

If Percussionist is to run in the Gold Cup, he would have to be supplemented to the field having not been entered at the initial stage.

'That was great, he didn't like hurdling so we thought we would bring him back on the Flat,' said Wylie.

'He was jumping his hurdles like they were fences and it's possible we might try him steeplechasing next season but we'll keep him going on the Flat for now.

'The jumping is a hobby but the Flat is hopefully going to be a self-financing business. There are some nice two and three-year-olds among them.

'The ground suited him, he's a tough horse but that last furlong must have seemed like 10 furlongs.

'I think Howard would like to take him to Ascot but that's over two and a half miles and we're not sure that's his trip.'

The Geezer finished fifth and Cherry Mix sixth of the seven runners in another disappointing result for Godolphin.

Frankie Dettori, who partnered The Geezer, said: 'He just couldn't handle that ground.

'When it's as bad as it is today you need a horse who is at peak fitness and it has just been finding our runners out this week but there will be another day.'

? PA Sport