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| Staff Writer |
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Reigning champion Alflaila will seek to build on a promising return performance at Royal Ascot as he defends his title in this Saturday’s Sky Bet York Stakes.
After a standout 2022 campaign, where he won four of six starts, the Owen Burrows-trained 5YO only raced twice last season. He secured a Group Two victory on the Knavesmire but finished fifth in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.
A setback delayed his return this year, but Alflaila showed he still possesses considerable talent with a fourth-place finish in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes after a nine-month absence, coming in less than four lengths behind Auguste Rodin.
Jockey Jim Crowley remarked afterwards: “I thought it was an excellent run following such a lengthy layoff and he (Alflaila) showed he retains his class.”
The son of Dark Angel is entered in the Juddmonte International at York on August 21, alongside fellow Shadwell-owned entire Israr, who won the Wolferton Stakes at the Royal meeting. Plans for both horses are expected to solidify following this weekend's races.
“Alflaila is hopefully going to York and obviously plans beyond that will depend on how he gets on there,” said Shadwell’s racing manager Angus Gold.
“Israr was in the same race, but we won’t run the two together, so with Israr we have the option of waiting for the Juddmonte, depending on what Sheikha Hissa would like to do.
“We’ll just have to play that one a bit by ear.”
Another Shadwell contender with potential in top-tier middle-distance races is Alflaila’s long-absent stablemate, Anmaat.
The 6YO hasn't raced since claiming Group One victory in the Prix d’Ispahan at ParisLongchamp in May of last year but may make his return to the racetrack next month.
“He’s working away and is gradually losing weight,” Gold added.
“He’s obviously had over a year off and put on a fair bit of condition, like a lot of us old men!
“They’re working hard to get it off, I saw him earlier in the week and he’s still a few kilos over his weight, but at the moment the main thing is he’s moving well and seems very enthusiastic still.
“Hopefully he’ll be back in August and there was talk of the Rose of Lancaster at Haydock if he was ready by then, so we’ll just see how he’s doing.
“The injury he had was pretty unusual and I wasn’t sure we’d be seeing him again, so everything is a bonus with him.”