A Possibility For Kingsgate Native

Kingsgate Native is still under question for a possible tilt at the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. John Best’s 3-year-old ran a gallant to finish fifth in the July Cup as he attempted to follow up his victory in the Golden Jubilee at Royal Ascot. Five furlongs and a bid for back-to-back successes in the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes is next on the agenda. Maybe the two races at Ascot took a lot out of him, maybe the ground was just slightly on the easy side and maybe Fat Boy didn’t take us far enough into the race and we hit the front a little too early.

“I just think it was a little bit of everything really and it didn’t fall right for us, whereas in the Golden Jubilee everything did.

“He obviously stays six but might be better over five. He’s one of the top sprinters in the country and we are very lucky to have him.

“He’ll have a nice time now before we go for the Nunthorpe, it could be that he is just that bit better over five furlongs.

“So it will be York and then the Prix de l’Abbaye. I haven’t discussed it with the owners but I don’t think we’ll go to Haydock for the Sprint Cup. It usually comes up soft by then.

“There is just a slight possibility also that we’ll take him over for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, especially as it is on Polytrack and not dirt this year.”