Meade considering Coronation Cup before Ascot for Technician

Gold Cup at the Royal meeting the big target.

Technician could drop back in trip for the Coronation Cup at Newmarket, with the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot his big-race target.

The four-year-old rounded off last term with a Group One victory in the Prix Royal-Oak, having previously bagged the Prix Chaudenay and Geoffrey Freer Stakes in his 10 starts in 2019.

Trainer Martyn Meade has set his sights on Ascot, which is scheduled to kick off on June 16, but could first switch the grey colt back to a mile and a half for the Coronation Cup, which is pencilled in to be run on June 5, should racing resume as hoped on June 1.

The Sagaro Stakes – a traditional Gold Cup trial – has been rearranged for Newcastle on June 6, but Meade is not keen on shouldering a Group One penalty on the all-weather.

He said: “The Sagaro is at Newcastle, that’s a Group Three so he would have to carry a bit of weight there and I’m not so sure about the all-weather, as Mastercraftsman’s (progeny) don’t have a great record on the surface.

“There is the Coronation Cup over a mile and a half – we could have a go at that.

“The Gold Cup is his main target, so it would be nice to get a prep run in before that.”

Technician has shown his best form on easy ground and Meade will be mindful of conditions for his runner.

He said: “We know he’s much better with a bit of cut in the ground. We were hoping we might get a bit softer ground in the spring, but now it looks like we are heading straight into summer ground.

“It’s not that he doesn’t go on quicker ground, he just doesn’t show his best on it. He disappointed in the St Leger on fast ground at Doncaster.

“He’s currently in very good form and we’re hoping for a good season with him.”

Martyn Meade is looking forward to the season starting
Martyn Meade is looking forward to the season starting (Nigel French/PA)

The British Horseracing Authority is currently planning towards a restart next month, subject to Government approval, and having recently published an initial eight days of the programme, Meade is now formulating his plans.

He added: “It’s been pretty frustrating and it’s hard to keep everyone motivated (during the shutdown) when every day is the same.

“You don’t want to do too much with the horses, but you want them ready to go when racing does start.

“We’re just really starting to look at plans now as we have a programme and it seems we might be moving towards a restart soon.”

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Martyn Meade Royal Ascot Coronation Cup

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