Prescott's filly aims for Nunthorpe
Danehurst will not run in the Group One Darley July Cup on Thursday week, yet will face the same top company in next month's Victor Chandler Nunthorpe Stakes despite disappointing at a far lesser level in Ireland last Sunday.
The three-year-old filly, trained in Newmarket by Sir Mark Prescott, finished a creditable ninth in the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot on her seasonal debut. But she managed only 11th behind Repertory in a five-furlong Listed event at the Curragh.
Chris Richardson, manager of owners Cheveley Park Stud, remains confident Dane-hurst, who won last October's Group Three Cornwallis Stakes, is worth her place in Group One sprints.
Her next big target is York's Nunthorpe on 23 August, potentially via Goodwood's Group Three King George V Stakes three weeks earlier. But Longchamp's seven-furlong Prix de la Foret on 14 October is the ultimate aim, seeking softer ground on which the filly excels.
"There were excuses for her last run - the local experts told us to stay at home, after she drew 16 of 16," said Richardson. "She's got far more speed than that, so she'll stick to five-furlong races until the Foret - if the ground isn't too firm."
Meanwhile, Regal Rose, in the same ownership but trained by Sir Michael Stoute, also misses the six-furlong July Cup. Winter favourite for the 1,000 Guineas but not yet sighted on a racecourse this season, she is now expected to be sidelined until September.
"Regal Rose needs plenty of time. I'd be disappointed if she didn't run at all this season, but she keeps getting niggling problems," said Richardson.
