Tregoning points to QEII as ‘main target’ for Mohaather

Nick Robson
August 3, 2020 3:00 pm

But prep-race options before Ascot proving problematic.

Mohaather’s main aim for the remainder of the season is the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on British Champions Day, with Marcus Tregoning still weighing up a possible suitable option before it.

Given the Ascot showpiece is not until October 17, Tregoning would prefer his stable star to have an outing beforehand following his scintillating success in the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.

But the Whitsbury handler fears the Prix Jacques le Marois on Sunday week may come too soon, while the Prix de la Foret on Arc de Triomphe weekend is too close to the QEII.

What a terrific race!
Mohaather storms home victorious to land the @Q_REC Sussex Stakes under @JimCrowley1978 for @tregoningracing! #QatarGoodwoodFestival pic.twitter.com/Eyz7i592pY
— Goodwood Racecourse (@Goodwood_Races) July 29, 2020

“His end-of-season target will be the QEII,” said Tregoning.

“Whether something slots in before that we’re not sure yet, but Ascot is his main target.

“We could have really done with the Marois being a week later than it is. There isn’t anything that slots in ideally, as the Marois is the 16th (of August) which is a bit quick and if we drop down to seven for the Foret it’s too close to Champions Day.

Marcus Tregoning is back in the big time with Mohaather (Edward Whitaker/PA)

“With the races all moved around it’s difficult. At least we’re now looking having won a Group One, given how we felt after Royal Ascot things are a good bit different.”

Ascot may not be his final outing of the season, though, as Tregoning went on: “The Breeders’ Cup is three weeks after Ascot this year so that would give him enough time, but that would be entirely down to Sheikh Hamdan. He is lightly raced so hopefully we’ll get a few more goes with him.”

Alkumait was an impressive winner and a step up in class awaits (Hugh Routledge/PA)

Tregoning only had seven runners at Goodwood and was rewarded with two winners and two seconds. His other winner was the juvenile, Alkumait, another colt by Showcasing.

“I think he’s a horse that improved massively for his first run and he could be a nice horse,” he said.

“The Gimcrack is not off the radar so we’ll just see how he is. I wouldn’t want to run him on firm ground at this stage of his career as I wouldn’t want to jar him up