SHIROCCO READY FOR NEWMARKET RETURN
25/04/06

French champion trainer Andre Fabre revealed today that Breeders’ Cup Turf hero Shirocco is on course to make his seasonal debut in the £90,000 Group Two StanJamesUK.com Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket on Sunday, May 7, day two of the Stan James Guineas Festival.

Fabre reported: “Shirocco is due to go to Newmarket and he is fine. I am happy with him.”

The Baron Georg Von Ullman-owned five-year-old is currently rated the second best horse in training, behind stablemate Hurricane Run, according to the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities’ World Rankings.

Shirocco defeated Ace by one and three-quarter lengths to land a famous victory in the Grade One Breeders’ Cup Turf at Belmont Park when last seen on October 29, on ground described as yielding, and had previously finished fourth to Hurricane Run in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp.

The triple Group One-winning son of Monsun has shown a liking for a soft surface but Fabre is not concerned by the prospect of faster going.

The trainer added: “He would prefer it soft but if it’s fast he will run.

“One of the options would be to go for the Vodafone Coronation Cup (Epsom Downs, June 2) after Newmarket. The plan is to go for the big international races again.”

The StanJamesUK.com Jockey Club Stakes, staged over 12 furlongs on the NatWest Rowley Mile Course and won last year by subsequent Group One Japan Cup winner Alkaased, could also see Mubtaker bid for his second win of the campaign.

The Marcus Tregoning-trained nine-year-old landed the Group Three Dubai Tennis Championships Stakes (registered as the John Porter Stakes) at Newbury on April 22.

Tregoning reported today: “Mubtaker is a possible for the StanJamesUK.com Jockey Club Stakes. He is an absolute superstar and has come out of the Newbury race in good form. I’m very happy with him.

“Everything went right for him there. The ground was perfect and Martin (Dwyer) gave him a super ride.”

The Stan James Guineas Festival takes place on the NatWest Rowley Mile course at Newmarket on Saturday, May 6, and Sunday, May 7. Both the Stan James 1000 Guineas and the Stan James 2000 Guineas are worth a record £330,000 in 2006.