Calyx Decision Over Weekend

[Wandering Eyes]

NEWMARKET, UK—The unbeaten Calyx (GB) (Kingman {GB}) hasn’t been seen on a racecourse since winning the G2 Coventry S. at Royal Ascot last June but he reappeared on Newmarket’s Rowley Mile on Friday morning to undertake a piece of work which will determine whether or not he lines up for the QIPCO 2000 Guineas next Saturday.

Arriving by horsebox from the other side of town with his workmate, fellow Juddmonte homebred First Eleven (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Calyx was reunited with Frankie Dettori, while Rab Havlin hopped aboard First Eleven after both horses had taken a turn of the pre-parade ring at Newmarket.

Under the gaze of trainer John Gosden, his son and assistant Thady, and Juddmonte’s racing manager Lord Grimthorpe, Calyx worked down the centre of the Guineas course, pulling clear of First Eleven once out of the dip. The colt is also entered for the G3 Merriebelle Stable Commonwealth Cup Trial at Ascot on Wednesday, and Gosden reported that a decision regarding his participation in the Guineas will be made over the weekend.

He said, “I’m happy with his work, it was a nice, normal blow and he picked up well. The ground was very much on the good side, with the odd good to firm patch. Michael [Prosser, clerk of the course] has done a good job with the ground, given that we only managed to conjure up half a millimetre of rain yesterday.”

Lord Grimthorpe added, “We still have a few things to think about. I want to discuss it with Prince Khalid and see how [the horse] is after this. There’s no decision right now about whether the will run or not. Frankie is happy with him but we have to look at a few other things as well.”

Calyx, who made his winning debut at Newmarket ten days ahead of his Coventry S. victory, is a member of the first crop of Juddmonte stallion Kingman, whose sole defeat in eight starts came in the 2000 Guineas when the field split into two groups and he was beaten half a length by Night Of Thunder (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). He went on to win four consecutive Group 1 contests over a mile, including the Irish 2000 Guineas. Kingman is also the sire of Poule d’Essai des Poulains favourite Persian King (Ire).

 

 

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