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The Crisford team are looking forward to the challenge of the Middle Park Stakes for stable star Vandeek on Saturday at Newmarket.
The two-year-old remains unbeaten after three starts and has gone from strength to strength since his debut win at Nottingham in late July. He faced adverse weather conditions at Glorious Goodwood on his second start but impressed with a comfortable one length victory in the six furlong Group 2 Richmond Stakes.
Despite facing a field of top-class juveniles in the Group 1 Prix Morny at Deauville in late August, Vandeek produced another impressive performance to beat French filly Ramatuelle, making up ground in the late stages and finishing a short neck ahead at the line.
With regular rider Andrea Atzeni leaving the UK for a new career in Hong Kong, James Doyle will take over the ride on the son of Havana Grey.
"The Middle Park is a proper championship race and if he was able to win a Group One at Newmarket it would be huge – not just for us but for the owner and the horse himself," said co-trainer Ed Crisford .
"It would put him on the board as one of the top two-year-olds in Europe.
"It will be a proper race against proper horses and there will be some new horses coming in that we haven't faced yet. It is going to be a very good race, but he has gone and won a Group One so he goes there with every chance.
"Looking at the Morny, it was the championship two-year-old race at the time and a proper Group One – you needed to be on your A game to win it..
"I think good ground, or just on the quick side of that would be fine as Havana Grey's [progeny] tend to go on that. To be honest, running him on the soft ground has just been the way it has happened.
"The way he moves and covers the ground, I wouldn't be too worried on better ground and I think he could be a better horse on it as you would see that turn of foot come to the fore.
"For a breeze-up horse he is unbelievable. He is so relaxed and that will put him in good stead for these big events. He doesn't waste any energy.
"We have to take one race at a time and the Middle Park is his next target. If he wins and looks like he is in great order, who is to say he is not going to have a crack at the Dewhurst as well?"
Vandeek is widely available at 11/4 for the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes on Saturday.
