Saeed bin Suroor was thrilled with Delegator’s final piece of serious work before next week’s Darley July Cup at Newmarket.
The 2009 Guineas runner-up made a winning seasonal return in the Duke Of York Stakes but was forced to miss the Golden Jubilee at Royal Ascot on account of unsuitably soft ground.
The son of Dansili worked five furlongs (1000m) with Bab Al Salam and scooted clear under his work rider Ted Durcan.
“He worked this morning over five furlongs at the Limekilns on the short gallop,” bin Suroor said.
“Ted Durcan rode him and he worked really well. The horse is ready now to go to the July Cup.
“He missed Royal Ascot because the ground was too soft for him so we are just hoping for good ground at Newmarket.
“The horse is in good form, he’s working well and we are very happy with him.
“It might not be the worst thing that he missed Ascot because he has always run his best races when he has been fresh. Frankie (Dettori) will be on board.”
Delegator is a general 4-1 favourite for the July Cup.
Olivier Peslier, meanwhile, will again ride War Artist on Saturday week.
The esteemed French jockey was a regular presence aboard the tough sprinter when trained by James Eustace and Rod Collet, and will again receive the leg-up at Newmarket.
War Artist has now been transferred into the care of rookie German trainer Markus Klug who called upon Peslier when the eight-year-old finished an honourable fifth in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.
“War Artist has been in good form since Ascot and we are very happy with him,” Klug said.
“He arrived at Newmarket earlier in the week. Because we’ve had so much rain in Germany it has been difficult to work him.
“The plan is the July Cup. I wanted to run him at Baden-Baden but it was only 10 days before the July Cup and it would have been too quick to get him ready.
“I do not think he was 100 per cent in the King’s Stand Stakes so he should be a lot stronger at Newmarket.
“We will go direct to that race now and Olivier Peslier will ride.”
War Artist finished third in the July Cup three years ago and this time is available at odds of around 20-1.
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