Invincible Army Targets Duke of York

[Wandering Eyes]

James Tate has earmarked the G2 Duke of York S. as the first major target this year for his talented sprinter Invincible Army (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). The Newmarket trainer plans to give the 4-year-old a prep run in the Listed Unibet Cammidge Trophy on the opening day of the turf season at Doncaster on Mar. 30, before taking aim at the six-furlong Group 2 prize at York. Invincible Army has struck twice at the Group 3 level, in the 2017 Sirenia S. at Kempton and in the G3 Pavilion S. at Ascot last May.

“Invincible Army lost his way in the second half of the season, but we realised that running on fast ground didn’t really suit him,” said Tate, whose charge ran second in the G2 Sandy Lane S. on May 26 and was off the board in two more 2018 appearances at the group level. “We decided to give him a nice break and prepare him for this season. He is going really well at the moment. “He has been second in three Group 2 races, including when beaten a nose in the Sandy Lane last year–and my first task is to make him a Group 2 winner. The Duke of York will be his aim. All being well, he will have a prep in the Cammidge Trophy at Doncaster.”

A drop down to listed level, and further raids over to France, could be on the cards for last year’s French 2000 Guineas runner-up Hey Gaman (GB) (New Approach {GB})–who was campaigned at the highest level on four of his six starts in 2018.

Tate added, “His best performance last year was when he finished second in the French 2000 Guineas. His favoured conditions look to be going right-handed on a turning track on soft ground, so I can see him making a lot more trips across the English Channel. I’ve not set any targets yet. But as he no longer has a listed penalty, we might start him there and go up through the grades. If the opportunity came up in Group 1, with the right conditions, we would have a look at it. Being a large build of a horse, this should be his year.”

View the full article