Charlie Hills-trained Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), a MGSW for Sheikh Hamdan, has returned to Hills's Faringdon Place in preparation for contesting Royal Ascot in June, Shadwell.
“He's come back very well,” Hills said. “He was a little more wintry than last year, but the last couple weeks, his coat has really been coming through. He's physically done well and I'm happy with him. He's had one swinging canter and we're just trying to keep him ticking over. He's not a big horse, so he doesn't take as much training and is a good, clean-winded type.”
A winner of the 2019 G2 Temple S., G2 King George S. and G1 Nunthorpe S., the bay gelding was also runner-up to Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal) in the G1 King's Stand S. last year. Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, he will likely go directly to Royal Ascot without a prep.
“It depends on how they program the rest of the year for him, but I don't think we will be able to get a prep in before Royal Ascot, unfortunately,” Hills continued. “The race we would use has been abandoned, so we'll go straight to Ascot. I don't think anyone knows how it will all happen, but hopefully they do run it and all goes well. He should stay fresher later on into the year and we'll be able to keep him going well, hopefully.”
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