Buratino A Doubt For Gimcrack

Time/Date - 15.10hrs local time/Saturday, August 22, 2015
Racecourse/Country - York/UK
Surface/Distance - Turf/6f

Buratino is a doubtful runner in the Group Two Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Gimcrack Stakes at York, UK, on Saturday, August 22, due to the ground.

The Mark Johnston-trained colt was an impressive winner of the Coventry Stakes on good to firm ground at Royal Ascot and came home third on good going in the Group One Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh, Ireland, on August 9.

Mark Johnston said: "Buratino is in great form and the Gimcrack looks a very nice opportunity but the ground does not look good for him.

"My concern is that it is not going to dry out sufficiently. He will travel to York on Saturday and the decision will be made, probably after the first race. If the ground remains as it is now, he wouldn't be running.

"William Buick said that the ground was too soft for him at the Curragh and we really can't go back and run him on similar conditions.

"It's a shame but we said after the Curragh that we would keep him entered up and run where the ground was fast."

Godolphin is still set to be represented in the six-furlong contest by Steady Pace, who is trained by Saeed bin Suroor and ridden by James Doyle.

The son of Dark Angel has already made a pair of appearances in Group Two races over six furlongs, coming home third to Shalaa in the Qatar Richmond Stakes at Goodwood on July 30 and finishing second to the same horse in the Group Two Arqana July Stakes at Newmarket on July 9.

He was third in a pair of five-furlong Listed races, including the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 16, and made an impressive debut with a facile success in an Ascot maiden over the same distance on May 9.

Saeed bin Suroor commented: "Steady Pace ran good races at Newmarket and Goodwood. He looks well, is ready to go again and we are hoping for good ground."

Steady Pace's main rivals are likely to be US challenger Finnegan, French Group Two second Ajaya and Norfolk Stakes third King Of Rooks.

Country Reel captured the Gimcrack Stakes for Godolphin in 2002