David Menuisier is still to decide Caius Chorister’s assignment at the Qatar Goodwood Festival, keen to avoid meeting Gold Cup hero Kyprios for a second time.
Owned by the enthusiastic Clive Washbourn, the five-year-old was a handicap winner at the ‘Glorious’ meeting in 2022, but since then her stock has risen to the point where she is now a genuine top-level performer over staying distances.
A convincing winner of Saint-Cloud’s Prix Belle de Nuit last autumn, Caius Chorister has taken her form to the next level this term with narrow defeats in both the Sagaro Stakes and Henry II Stakes, teeing-up a shot at the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.
She failed to last home the stamina-sapping two-and-a-half-mile trip on that occasion, but her handler remains confident of taking on the majority of the staying division again over slightly shorter – apart from Kyprios.
His name amongst the list of Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup participants would see the Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes come onto the radar as an alternative.
“She’s as bright as a button, as they say. She clearly just didn’t stay, but she has come out of the race as bright as anything really and is ready to go again,” said Menuisier.
“She’s different to any other horse we’ve ever had, she is made of different stuff, she is just the toughest thing ever.
“Glorious Goodwood will be the next stop, either for the Goodwood Cup if Kyprios does not turn up, or the Lillie Langtry if he does, because Kyprios is by far the best stayer in Europe and wherever he goes, we will avoid him.
“I think over two miles, I will be happy enough to take on the rest of the stayers, because she does have speed, especially on quick ground. But we will not be able to crack Kyprios – and if he does turn up, that is why she has two engagements.
“She looks like being the best staying filly in Europe at the moment; we don’t know how the three-year-olds will do later in the season, but right now she looks the best older staying filly. It’s exciting really.”
Devil’s Point is another talented member of Menuisier’s string owned by Washbourn, but the Sussex Stakes entrant is likely to skip a visit to his handler’s local track in favour of a summer campaign on the continent.
A winner of the German 2000 Guineas at Cologne on his most recent outing, the son of New Bay will drop back in trip for two potential assignments at Deauville – first the seven-furlong Prix Jean Prat before a possible return to the Normandy coast to compete for top-level sprinting honours.
“He will go for the Prix Jean Prat at Deauville, which has always been the main target after the Guineas in Germany,” continued Menuisier.
“If all goes well after that, then he is likely to swerve the Sussex Stakes to go back to Deauville for the Prix Maurice de Gheest.
“That is pretty much the same as the Jean Prat but half a furlong shorter and against the older horses while getting a decent weight allowance. I think that is very much his programme for the summer.”
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