Smart hoping to give rivals hell
Bryan Smart has reported his Coventry Stakes winner Hellvelyn to be in great form ahead of his tilt at the Shadwell Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket on Friday.
The Ishiguru colt has only tasted defeat once in his four-race career, and that came at the hands of Aidan O’Brien’s top class Holy Roman Emperor in the Group One Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh last month.
However, Smart says his juvenile is refreshed and raring to go ahead of another attempt to secure a victory at the highest level before a possible crack at the 2000 Guineas next season.
“He’s very well,” reported Smart. “He’s in good form but it looks a very good contest at this stage.
“If Holy Roman Emperor comes over – I know he got beat the other day but he might not have got the trip – he has already beaten us.
“Dutch Art is already a Group One winner so the form is in the book, it’s a very good race.
“My horse is in very good nick though and I’m very happy with him, he has been fine since the Curragh, he’s ready to run again and I couldn’t be more pleased with him.
“I think he will get a mile (next year). He gallops, he settles, he does everything you ask of him and I’m very happy with him but we’ll have to wait and see.
“It looks like there’s plenty of rain around this week and one thing he has done is perform with cut. His first two races were on good to soft ground.
“Unless it’s bottomless I don’t think it will be a problem but with 48 hour declarations you never know what it’s going to be like.
“Everything is fine though and I couldn’t be more pleased with him.”
