Flying Five Option For Battaash

[Wandering Eyes]

The G1 Flying Five S. is the lone European Group 1 over five furlongs missing from Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire})’s CV, and the 6-year-old gelding could get the chance to collect that Curragh prize on Sept. 13.

Sheikh Hamdan’s Battaash is unbeaten in 2020, having taken Royal Ascot’s G1 King’s Stand S. prior to a fourth consecutive score in the G2 King George Qatar S. in July. He was last seen defending his title in the G1 Nunthorpe S. on Aug. 21.

“We will keep all the options open for Battaash and just see how the horse is and go from there,” said trainer Charlie Hills. “I’m happy though with the way he has come out of the York race. We have got Ireland, France for the Abbaye, then America for the Breeders’ Cup and they are probably the only three races for him. We will have a chat with the team next week. No decision has been made, but Ireland has certainly not been ruled out.”

Hills also provided an update on another of his Glorious Goodwood winners, Juddmonte’s promising 3-year-old Tilsit (First Defence), who won the G3 Thoroughbred S. He could step up to Group 1 company for the G1 Prix du Moulin on Sept. 6 or take in the G2 Boomerang Mile at Leopardstown on Sept. 12.

“He had a small setback which meant we missed a few days with him, so we had to miss the Celebration Mile at Goodwood on Saturday,” Hills said. “I’m very happy with the horse now and he worked really well on Wednesday. The Moulin is an option and there is the Boomerang Mile which he would need supplementing for, but I’ve still got to talk to the team at Juddmonte first.”

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