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Park Stakes possible for Shouldvebeenaring

3 minute read

Haydock Sprint Cup second Shouldvebeenaring could back up quickly in the Group 2 Park Stakes at Doncaster on Saturday.

LITTLE BIG BEAR winning the Sandy Lane Stakes (Group 2) Picture: Pat Healy Photography

The Middleham Park Racing-owned colt has been kept busy by trainer Richard Hannon, racing eleven times since the end of January. A good second in the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes behind Little Big Bear in late May, the son of Havana Grey produced a career best performance when a neck second behind Regional in the Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock Park over the same course and distance. 

"The collateral form was there and is there, we're absolutely thrilled to provide his owners with a runner in a Group One and a horse that just got touched off in a Group One, which he did – he was trading odds-on to win the race during the final half-furlong," said Middleham Park Racing's Tim Palin. 

"He's a dual Listed winner and you'd like to think he's a Group winner in the making, if we could make that a Group One or Group Two then who knows – you might have a stallion master or two picking up the phone.

"He's a superstar of a horse, he tries his heart out.

"We have actually left him in the in the Group Two [Park Stakes] at Doncaster, just in case he comes out of it bouncing.

"There's not a deluge and they're not planning to water at the minute, if it did quicken up then it could just be tempting if we can get that Group win by his name.

"The horse's well-being will be of paramount importance, whether he's over his exertions from the weekend and ready to rock and roll again, but he'll stay in training as a four-year-old anyway."

Looking forward to Shouldvebeenaring's four-year-old season, Palin added: "We'll campaign him in Group One and Group Two sprints with the aim of picking up an elusive Group One, he's clearly a Group One performer and we want to make him a Group One winner.

"Meydan, possibly the Al Quoz, he could have a prep run and go out there for that fantastic prize-money and there's always decent ground out there.

"He's a candidate for that and all your normals, your Duke of Yorks, July Cups, Haydock Sprints, we might even give him a whizz at five.

"We need to explore five with him as well as he travels lovely over six and he's strong through the line. A Nunthorpe might happen a bit quick for him, but an Ascot five or a Haydock five could suit him down to the ground."