Burrows looking towards Gordon Stakes or Voltigeur with Hukum

No Derby bid for Royal Ascot winner.

A minor injury picked up in winning the King George V Handicap made sure Owen Burrows will not be tempted to enter Hukum in the Investec Derby.

The lightly-raced Sea The Stars colt gamely held off Kipps on just his third start and a run in the Classic was mooted in the aftermath.

However, he was struck into in the race and the cut means he needs a short spell of recuperation, before heading for either the Gordon Stakes or the Great Voltigeur.

“Where he was struck into was a little bit worse than we first thought in the winner’s enclosure, it had to be stitched,” said Burrows.

Jim Crowley returns on Hukum
Jim Crowley returns on Hukum (Megan Ridgwell)

“Touch wood he’s fine, but obviously he hasn’t done a lot since. He’s not too sore on it. It was deep enough and without tempting fate it didn’t touch the tendon sheath. It could have been nasty, it was nasty enough, but we’ll have to be patient and keep it clean before we get the stitches out.

“As it was we weren’t thinking of the Derby really. I spoke to Sheikh Hamdan shortly after the race and when I mentioned it was just over two weeks he said it would be too soon, so we won’t be in a rush now.

“If it had been the end of July we might have been thinking about it, but coming so soon it is totally off the list, which might be the right thing anyway being so inexperienced, although he handled the hurly burly on Wednesday fine.

“I thought in the last half a furlong he was going away again, so we’ve no stamina worries. I think we’ll be looking at the Gordon Stakes and the Great Voltigeur, races like that.

“Speaking to Angus (Gold, racing manager) and the boss as well, they are mindful he will make a lovely four-year-old, which is nice to know.”

He added: “I spoke to Angus straight after the race and he told me to make sure I gave the boss a ring in the evening, but 20 minutes later the boss rang me. It’s been a case of form an orderly queue to speak to him he had that many winners – he had a great week.”

Gold was left to reflect on an amazing week for Sheikh Hamdan, which culminated with six winners.

Battaash finally broke his Royal Ascot hoodoo
Battaash finally broke his Royal Ascot hoodoo (Alan Crowhurst)

“I guess Battaash was the highlight. It was fantastic to see him come back and do that (win the King’s Stand Stakes) the third time running there. He’d been and got his bottom smacked the last two times. It was lovely to see him go and do it decisively,” said Gold.

“It’s been such a bizarre year for everybody. Every year we try to get horses for Ascot like everybody does. Normally, you might get three or four run well and quite a lot run badly.

“The best two-year-old we had from last season was Molatham. We decided not to go for the Guineas and train him for the Jersey and it was very satisfactory to see him come and do it.

“Then to see the Dubawi horse (Khaloosy) of Roger’s (Varian) come out and win the Britannia like that was a lovely surprise. He’d been working like a nice horse, but I didn’t expect him to go and win like that.

“It’s been a great week for Jim (Crowley). I’m just sorry he got chinned by Lanfranco (Frankie) Dettori (for top rider honours) in the end, just for his sake. I can’t feel too sorry for him, though, he’s had the pleasure of riding six winners – I’m sure he’d have settled for that at the start of the week!

“He had bad luck on Mohaather (in the Queen Anne). That was the only one that got away, but we all learn to accept that.

“I’m thrilled for Sheikh Hamdan – he puts so much into the game. (I’m) just sorry, like all the owners, he couldn’t be there to enjoy it.”

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