Nayyir Ascot plans remain fluid Connections of impressive Vodafone Diomed Stakes winner Nayyir are still mulling over plans for Royal Ascot. The four-year-old gelding was a three length winner over Highdown in the race at Epsom on Saturday and trainer Gerard Butler immediately touted the Queen Anne Stakes as his next possible target. The progressive son of Indian Ridge has been installed as 2-1 favourite for the Royal Hunt Cup by bookmakers William Hill but he may yet be rerouted to the Group Two contest. Butler said today: 'He`s all fine, no problems at all. 'He`s in the Queen Anne and the Royal Hunt Cup and we will have to decide where we go for next with him now. 'We need to take a good look at the opposition in the Queen Anne but we will confirm him for that and then we will confirm his entry for the Royal Hunt Cup.' Nayyir`s Epsom win followed on from a cheeky win in a Beverley handicap where he beat Morro Castle by a head. This lightly-raced gelding has had just five runs in his career and has been allotted 8st 9lb for the mile handicap event. But his win on Saturday will see him carry a 7lb penalty, and that combined with the fact that the horse can not hit the front too early may see Butler opt for a run in the Queen Anne. 'We will have to have a good look at both races before deciding but we would probably lean more towards the Queen Anne,' he said. 'It`s not so much the extra weight as the draw and the big field. You always get some unexposed horses in a borderline Listed class race so you don`t really want to be giving them weight. 'The Queen Anne is another step up in class though and it will be quite a big step up but we`ll have to have a look,' he added. Butler could still be represented in the Hunt Cup as Beauchamp Pilot is among the entries for the £120,000 race. The four-year-old Erik Penser-owned gelding impressed on his only run this season when taking a competitive handicap at Haydock. That was his fourth straight win and although much of his best form has been on ground that was good or softer, Butler would not be worried if the going at Ascot is on the faster side. He said: 'This race has always been on the cards for him. The ground shouldn`t be a problem as long as it`s not very firm.'
