Muir plays it cool as Pyledriver heads to York

Horse Racing

Keith Hamer
August 13, 2020 2:30 pm

Great Voltigeur instead of Cologne as Ascot winner dodges heatwave.

William Muir is re-routing Pyledriver to York rather than make the long journey to Germany during the heatwave.

Muir has ditched plans to go for the Preis von Europa in Cologne on Sunday, and will instead run his stable star nearer home in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes on Wednesday.

Pyledriver got no run in the Investec Derby on his latest start but had previously shown plenty of class when winning the Group Two King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.

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“We were going to Germany on Sunday – but with the heat and all the disruption in Europe at the moment, we thought we wanted to give him his best opportunity,” said the Lambourn trainer.

“We’re going to see how we get on in the Great Voltigeur – that’s where we’re going to go.

“We’d have had to travel in this extreme heat, and over there it’s even hotter.

“He’s in terrific form. He looks fantastic and couldn’t be better.”

There are 14 entries headed by Gordon Stakes winner Mogul.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained colt showed he was coming back to his best form with victory at Glorious Goodwood after slightly disappointing efforts in the King Edward VII Stakes and the Investec Derby.

Mogul is one of six possibles from the O’Brien stable – along with Dawn Patrol, Monument Valley, Mythical, Nobel Prize and Tiger Moth.

Among the home contingent in the Group Two, a recognised trial for the St Leger, is the exciting Darain – trained by John Gosden. The brother to several top performers, including Too Darn Hot, has won both starts in eye-catching fashion, albeit at novice level.

Others in the mix include Al Aasy, Berkshire Rocco and Highland Chief – who was second to Mogul at Goodwood.

Richard Fahey has given his Sandown Listed winner Fev Rover an entry in the Tattersalls Acomb Stakes.

The daughter of Gutaifan got off the mark there after finishing second to Dandalla in the Group Two Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket.

Fahey has also entered Dark Angel colt Rhythm Master, an easy winner on his debut at Haydock.

Charlie Hills, who has won the race twice with Dutch Connection and Phoenix Of Spain, is two-handed as well – with Prado and Rhoscolyn.

Others in a 16-strong entry include the Charlie Appleby-trained duo of Cloudbridge and Dhahabi and Mark Johnston’s Teofilo colt Gear Up, a winner over this seven furlongs on his debut last month.