Ground The Key To Percy Run

Connections of Vodafone Derby hero Sir Percy have warned punters that the son of Mark of Esteem is unlikely to contest either the Budweiser Irish Derby or Coral-Eclipse Stakes unless the rains arrive in time.

While owner Victoria Pakenham stressed Sir Percy may yet take his chance in one of those contests, she explained that his participation will hinge upon the going after the colt returned from Epsom slightly sore.

Speaking on At The Races, Pakenham said: 'He is not nearly as bad as he was after the Guineas, but the Derby was the second race he has had on ground that was really too firm for him.

'I don't think we'd intentionally swerve both the Irish Derby and Eclipse unless Marcus (Tregoning) thinks we need to, but we need more rain to get the ground back to what we want.

'It is unlikely that he will run again (soon) unless the ground is right.

'He's very well in himself but Marcus won't rush him. The beauty of wanting to run him as a four-year-old is that there is no hurry,' she added.

Should the weather conspire against Sir Percy in the immediate future, Pakenham hopes conditions will be more suitable later in the year, enabling her charge to take his chance in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

She said: 'You are more likely to have ground on the soft side in the Arc. You need a very fresh horse to win the Arc, and it is a big ask for a three-year-old but we feel it is a race that will probably suit him.'

? PA Sport