LAST WEEK’S impressive UAE 1,000 Guineas winner Vague has suffered a setback that will deny her the chance of bidding to complete a Classic double.
She had been earmarked for the UAE Oaks on March 9 after her five-and-a-quarter-length defeat of Imperial Ice at Nad Al Sheba last Thursday, but will miss the rest of the Dubai Carnival due to injury.
The three-year-old will come back to Britain and trainer Jeremy Noseda said on his website: “It is a disappointing setback but she will be back on the trackin the summer.”
Jack Sullivan is being aimed at the Godolphin Mile on March 25 after his Group 3 victory at Nad Al Sheba a fortnight ago. “We were toying with the idea of running Jack Sullivan on March 2 but I think I’ll shelve that now,” trainer Gerard Butler said.
“I’ve spoken to a couple of trainers in America and they think it is important to give horses a lot more time between races over there.
“He loves it out there. He settled very quickly and I have been delighted with his condition and it was a very good performance. I’m looking forward to World Cup night.”
However, stable companion Nayyir is unlikely to return to Dubai despite recording his first win for two and a half years at Wolverhampton last weekend. “He did it well enough but he was getting weight from those horses and he didn’t convince me that we should take him back,” Butler said.
“I’m not sure if he’s still at the standard he would need to be at to be competitive out there.”
Nayyir is among 14 entries for Saturday’s WinterDerby Trial at Lingfield, which has also attracted Supreme Novices’ Hurdle hope Crow Wood.
