CECIL OVERCOME AS PASSAGE OF TIME PASSES CLASSIC
PREP
Taken from the Racing Post
By Jon Lees
IF HE didn't know it before, Henry Cecil left York on Wednesday
in no doubt that a significant slice of the racing public is right
behind his bid for a 24th British Classic, an ambition he believes
is firmly on track after Oaks favourite Passage Of Time made a
winning reappearance.
As a dress rehearsal for the fillies' Classic, the Tattersalls
Musidora Stakes worked on two fronts.
It proved that the throat abscess Passage Of Time is suffering
from was no obstruction to winning and gave the trainer a taste of
the kind of the reception he could receive should he win the
Vodafone Oaks at Epsom for the eighth time.
Cecil admitted to being “a little overcome” by the enthusiastic
ovation that followed Passage Of Time's narrow yet cosy victory
over Sweet Lilly to provide the ten-time champion trainer with an
eighth success in the long-standing Classic trial.
The Khalid Abdullah-owned filly had cruised up to the lead but
then needed some cajoling from Richard Hughes before she raised her
game to repel the late challenge of Jamie Spencer on the runner-up
by a neck.
Cecil said: “She was cantering, quickens up to win and then
thinks she has done enough. The other horse went to go by her and
she was back on the bridle by the end. It was frightening to watch
but I think she did a little better than it looked.
“She is well-balanced and travels very well. You can put her
where you like. The first time she won she only just got up, then
she won her next race by eight lengths and then won well in France
from a bad position.
“I have trained her for the Oaks and now she has had a race she can
come right. She needed a race today. She is on course.
“I was a little worried by the abscess on her epiglottisbecause
I had a horse with the problem last year and it can be a
nuisance.
“At the moment it's not bothering her. I'm hoping to make the
Oaks and then we will have to see whether we take the abscess out
and then she would have a month off.”
Immediately after the race, Totesport and Stan James were still
quoting Passage Of Time at 11-4 for the Oaks, in which Cecil will
also run Cheshire Oaks winner Light Shift, but by the end of the
day the best available price was 5-2 with Stan James and Blue
Square.
Hughes had wanted to make the running, but heeded Cecil's advice
to give the filly as easy a race as possible.
He said: “She's a little bit annoying in her work as she just
pulls up when she goes past her lead horse at home, but if you made
the running on her and go a good even gallop she'll keep going.
“Jamie came to beat me and I gave her a dig and she came on the
bridle at the line. I know I have the best filly in the race so I
just hope she arrives there in one piece.”
Sweet Lily is unlikely to go to Epsom. Bruce Raymond, owner
Jaber Abdulla's racing manager, said: “We shall have to speak to
Jaber but I don't think she'd stay any further than she's gone
today and soft ground is essential to her.”
Date:
17 May 2007