Trueshan and Mojo Star clash in Further Flight heat

Nottingham return for staying stars.

Top-class stayers Trueshan and Mojo Star are set for an intriguing early-season clash in the Barry Hills Further Flight Stakes at Nottingham on Wednesday.

Having won the Goodwood Cup, the Prix du Cadran and claimed a second Long Distance Cup in 2021, Alan King’s Trueshan made a successful start to last season in this one-mile-six-furlong Listed contest.

Unsuitable conditions meant he did not run again until carrying top-weight to victory in the Northumberland Plate on the all-weather Newcastle in June, after which he was placed in the Goodwood and Doncaster Cups before completing a Long Distance Cup hat-trick on Champions Day at Ascot.

With the ground in his favour, King is looking forward to getting Trueshan back on the track – but acknowledges his task is far from straightforward as he must concede 7lb to the Richard Hannon-trained Mojo Star, who filled the runner-up spot in the Derby and the St Leger in 2021 and was beaten just half a length into second by Kyprios on his only start of last term in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

King said: “It will be good to get him started and we’ve been very happy with him at home, but it’s a good renewal isn’t it?

“We’re taking on a Derby, St Leger and Gold Cup runner-up and giving him weight, but it looks a good starting point and I’m very happy with him, so we’ll see.

“He’s had a similar programme, so I would have thought he’ll be similar to where he was this time last year fitness-wise. He’s ready to start back, it will obviously bring him on but it will probably bring them all on a bit.”

While Trueshan is a proven mud lover, Mojo Star’s best efforts have come on a sounder surface and connections are keeping their fingers crossed conditions do not deteriorate further.

Tom Pennington, racing and operations manager for owners Amo Racing, said: “We’re looking forward to it. It’s a Listed race in name only – it’s a strong race for his comeback.

Mojo Star in action at Newbury
Mojo Star in action at Newbury (John Walton/PA)

“He’s obviously had a long break and we wouldn’t want too much more rain.

“This is obviously a stepping-stone to those big summer staying races. We’re expecting him to run a nice race, but you’d be mad to think he’s not going to come forward from it.”

Another horse returning from a lengthy absence is Nicky Henderson’s Buzz, who won the Cesarewitch at Newmarket and the Ascot Hurdle in the autumn of 2021 but has been off the track since.

Brian Ellison’s Tashkhan has performed with credit in top staying races over the past couple of seasons and makes his first appearance since finishing third behind Kyprios in October’s Prix du Cadran.

Rajinsky (Hugo Palmer), Urban Artist (Hughie Morrison) an Typewriter (Andrew Balding) are the other declared runners.

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