Sport

Zacinto gets chance to impress

ENGLISH RACING : ZACINTO BIDS to further enhance his growing reputation when he lines up in the totesport

Sat Aug 29 2009 - 01:00

ENGLISH RACING: ZACINTO BIDS to further enhance his growing reputation when he lines up in the totesport.com Celebration Mile at Goodwood today.

The Dansili colt was beaten just a neck on his final start as a juvenile in Doncaster’s Champagne Stakes, and was prominent in the ante-post lists for the 2000 Guineas over the winter.

Injury prevented him bidding for Classic glory at Newmarket, but Michael Stoute slowly nursed him back to full health.

There was also plenty to like about his comeback victory at this venue earlier in the month.

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Connections have been happy with his subsequent progress but Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for owner Khalid Abdullah, believes the colt has plenty on his plate against the likes of Guineas runner-up Delegator.

“He worked nicely the other morning and is in good shape,” said Grimthorpe.

“It’s a tough race, and he is certainly going to need to show more than normal improvement, but he is a horse we have always rated highly.

“I don’t think there will be any problems with the ground, so we’ll just have to see what happens.”

Delegator has his first start in the royal blue silks of Godolphin.

Saeed bin Suroor has been impressed with what he has seen since the colt arrived from Brian Meehan’s yard.

“Frankie (Dettori) rode him in work earlier this week and I was very happy with him. He is in good form and ready to go,” said Bin Suroor.

Richard Hannon is fully aware of the task facing Ordnance Row, but feels he is no forlorn hope.

“He wasn’t beaten far at Chester last week and is more than capable of ruffling the feathers of the big boys on his day,” the East Everleigh trainer said.

Stef Liddiard believes stable star Mac Love is capable of causing another major upset.

The evergreen eight-year-old gelding has already popped up at big prices in two Group Three races this summer. “I think if he repeats his Salisbury run he’s booked for third place,” said the Hungerford handler.

The James Fanshawe-trained veteran Cesare, runner-up two years ago, bids to put behind him a below-par run at Newmarket last time.