Wall considering next target for Newbury absentee Double Or Bubble

Simon Milham
August 15, 2022 11:19 am

July Cup fifth had minor issue that led to missing Hungerford Stakes.

Chris Wall has a trio of races in mind for Double Or Bubble, who missed an engagement in Saturday’s Hungerford Stakes at Newbury.

A close-up fifth to Alcohol Free in the July Cup, Double Or Bubble was an intended runner in the Group Two feature, yet a minor setback scuppered her chance of lining up in the race won by the improving Jumby.

The well-bred five-year-old mare is set to go to the paddocks in due course, although her Newmarket handler is keen to add to her black-type haul beforehand.

He said: “She didn’t run, but it was nothing major as it turned out. She had some inflammation in a hind leg on Saturday morning and by the time we were able to get a vet here and check her blood to see if it was an infection or something that might be a bit more long-term, by the time we’d have got her results it would have been too late to send her on to Newbury.

“I didn’t want to take the chance. Given it was as hot as it was, we wanted to be on the road early and I thought in the end we should take the cautious route and take her out.

“As it turned out, nothing major was amiss, but as luck would have it, it is fine today. At least we live to fight another day.”

ON THE BOB!
Double Or Bubble pinches the Connaught Access Flooring Abernant Stakes despite a late surge from Garrus 🥇#ITVRacing pic.twitter.com/cfMDnnR6el
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) April 13, 2022

Owned by Salah Fustock, Double Or Bubble has been campaigned superbly by Wall, picking up five wins and three runner-up efforts in 12 turf runs and has amassed over GBP 160,000 in prize-money.

The daughter of Exceed And Excel is now set for a drop in class, having run with credit in two Group Ones this term.

Wall added: “I need to have a conversation with her owner about her next run, but three races that would be on the agenda would be the Supreme Stakes at Goodwood, in which she was second last year – although the likelihood is she would have to carry a penalty in that, as she has won a Group Three.

“There is the Sceptre Stakes (Group Three) at Doncaster, in which she was also second in, but again she would have to carry a penalty in that too, or we might be bold and run her in the Park Stakes (Group two) at Doncaster.

Chris Wall will drop Double Or Bubble in class (Mike Egerton/PA)

“Those are the next three options that are coming along.

“It was a shame she didn’t line up at Newbury. I’m not saying the race was there for the taking, as I think Jumby has improved as the year has gone on. I know we beat him in the Abernant at Newmarket last October, but it was a different horse that turned up on Saturday – he would have taken a bit of beating.

“But even to have been placed in a Group Two would look good on a CV for a filly who is going to retire to stud ultimately, and that is what we are conscious of at the moment.”