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William Muir insists his confidence in Pyledriver has not been dented regardless of his King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes defeat, however is not sure if the six-year-old will run once more earlier than the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October.
Owned by the La Pyle Partnership, Pyledriver was bidding to win the Ascot spotlight for the second 12 months working, however might end solely fifth behind Hukum.
He’s entered within the Juddmonte Worldwide Stakes at York on Wednesday week, however another choice is Kempton’s Unibet September Stakes subsequent month.
Muir, who trains in partnership with Chris Grassick, is open-minded about Pyledriver heading straight to Longchamp for the Arc, for which the son of Harbour Watch will be backed at 40-1. He stated: “We have to make our minds up about whether or not we go to York or Kempton.
“One of many homeowners has thrown a bit of googly in there by suggesting we go straight to the Arc, so we’ll have a chat over the following few days. The horse is in good type although.”
Pyledriver, who’s 20-1 for York’s Worldwide, had impressed in June’s Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot, which was his first begin since his King George triumph in 2022. Nevertheless, on this 12 months’s working he completed eight and three-quarters of a size behind the Owen Burrows-trained Hukum, who repelled Westover in an exhilarating duel.
“I assumed it was an ideal race and it was incredible to be a part of it,” Muir added. “It was nice for Owen to win it and for Ralph [Beckett] that Westover ran so effectively, so I don’t need to take something away from them. I used to be comfortable and Pyledriver has been excellent at dwelling since.”
The Coronation Cup winner of 2021 often races over a mile and a half and can be dropping in journey within the Worldwide.
“That’s a bit of factor if we need to come again to a mile and two and a half furlongs, but it surely wouldn’t fear me and it wouldn’t fear PJ [McDonald],” Muir stated.
“If we went to Kempton on September 9 that’s ideally located for the Arc, but it surely additionally doesn’t matter if we go straight to the Arc. My confidence in him hasn’t been dented in anyway. If we affirm him for York on Thursday, it’s possible he’ll run.”
Courtesy of Racing Publish
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