Prix Maurice de Gheest next for Sacred Sacred, a runner-up last time at Royal Ascot, could make her next appearance at Deauville, as trainer William Haggas has pinpointed the Prix Maurice de Gheest as the ideal race for his versatile mare. Owned by Cheveley Park Stud, the five-year-old has been super consistent throughout her career and started the season with a victory in the Chartwell Fillies' Stakes at Lingfield in May. Although she narrowly missed out on victory in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes for the second consecutive year at Royal Ascot, being pipped at the post by the fast-finishing Khaadem, Sacred showcased her class and determination. While Sacred has entries for mile races closer to home in the coming month, Haggas, who was impressed by her performance at Ascot, is eager to keep her focused on sprint distances. As a result, he is likely to send her across the Channel to compete in the six-and-a-half-furlong Group One Prix Maurice de Gheest in early August. “She’s fine and we’re aiming her at the Prix Maurice de Gheest on August 6 which is a Group One over six and a half furlongs,” said Haggas. “She likes going to her races relatively fresh, so she will go there and there is nothing overly obvious for her in the meantime. “She’s in the Sussex, but I think we felt she ran very well over six furlongs at Ascot and six and a half in Deauville, providing the ground isn’t soft, should be fine for her.” Haggas also revealed that My Prospero will head to York for the Sky Bet York Stakes on July 29 as the four-year-old attempts to tee-up a Knavesmire return for the Juddmonte International Stakes during the Ebor Festival. “He’ll go for the Sky Bet at York,” added Haggas. “He didn’t run as well as I hoped at Ascot. He didn’t run badly, but it wasn’t as well as I hoped and he will go to York and if he wins and wins nicely he will go back there for the Juddmonte.”
