Top Rank poised for either Newmarket or Windsor

Thameside track likely to offer preferred soft ground.

James Tate has both Windsor and Newmarket options as Top Rank bids to bounce back to winning ways after Royal Ascot.

The Lockinge third travelled well for a long way in the Group One Queen Anne Stakes, the opening race of the Royal meeting, but fell away in the latter stages of the contest to finish sixth behind Palace Pier.

Tate reports the grey to be in fine fettle after the effort and intends to strike while the iron is hot with a follow-up run on Saturday.

Newmarket’s Group Three Criterion Stakes and Windsor’s Listed Midsummer Stakes are both under consideration, with the trainer likely to be drawn to the fixture that offers the softest going.

“He came out of Ascot very well, fresh and bouncing,” he said.

“It just didn’t happen for him, whether that is because he was drawn on the wrong side or the ground was a bit quick – I don’t know.

“It just didn’t happen for him but he’s very well, so we’ve got him in on Saturday to back him up like we have in the past.

“At this stage I don’t know what’s more likely, a mile at Windsor, Listed, or the Group Three at Newmarket.

“We’d prefer to win a Group Three than a Listed race, but we might be more likely to get easy ground at Windsor.”

Top Rank was victorious in Haydock’s Group Three Superior Mile Stakes on soft ground in September – a factor that leaves Tate more likely to opt for the Windsor contest as conditions at the track are evidently very soft given their cancellation of Monday’s fixture.

“The quickest ground he’s run on was at Ascot and we were slightly disappointed with his effort,” he said.

“He came out of it so well, I think we’d have to say that he is a heavy ground Group Three winner.

“Windsor was abandoned so we’re probably more likely to get give there.

“He’s bouncing, fresh and well, I’m anxious to run him somewhere at the weekend because he’s in really good form.”

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