Etlaala given York target
Connections of Etlaala were pleased with the colt’s performance in Tuesday evening’s betfair.com Temple Stakes at Sandown, and he will be kept in the sprinting division for his next outing.
The Barry Hills-trained chestnut’s preferred engagement would have been the Jersey Stakes over seven furlongs at Royal Ascot at York, but he is not qualified to to run so circumstances have dictated that he will go for the same meeting’s Golden Jubilee Stakes over a furlong shorter.
Etlaala did not get a clear run during the five-furlong Temple and was never closer than his seventh placing behind Celtic Mill, a performance which was a great deal better than his previous effort when last in the Craven Stakes.
Angus Gold, racing manager for owner Hamdan Al Maktoum said: “The encouraging thing was that he gave Richard Hills a lovely feel and then had to barge his way out after hitting a flat spot.
“My gut feeling is that he’s a six and a half furlong to seven furlong horse, but unfortunately he’s not qualified for the Jersey because he’s a Group Two winner.
“That makes his one option at Royal Ascot the Golden Jubilee, which annoyingly he’ll be taking on older horses.”
