Jungle Cat spearheads Duke Of York challenge

Jungle Cat, Comicas and Baccarat provide Godolphin with strong representation in the G2 Duke Of York Stakes (15.30hrs local time) over six furlongs at York, UK, on Wednesday, May 17. 

All three horses are trained by Charlie Appleby and started the year brightly at Meydan, UAE, with Jungle Cat (William Buick) easily winning the six-furlong Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint on March 4 before going on to finish fourth in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint over the same course and distance on March 25. 

Comicas (James Doyle), a six-furlong dirt handicap winner on February 11, ran a superb race on Dubai World Cup Night, coming home second in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, also over six furlongs on dirt. 

Baccarat (Adam Kirby) could only finish down the field in the Al Quoz Sprint, but the eight-year-old had previously taken second in the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint and beaten Jungle Cat into second in a handicap on turf over six furlongs on January 26. 

The field of 13 for the Duke Of York Stakes also features the first three in last season’s G1 British Champions Sprint – The Tin Man, Growl and Brando, plus the 2016 winner Magical Memory.  

Jungle Cat is drawn in stall seven, while Comicas will exit from stall three and Baccarat from stall two.

Charlie Appleby commented: “There was a lot of rain in Dubai prior to World Cup Night, meaning that the ground went against both Jungle Cat and Baccarat in the Al Quoz Sprint. 

“Jungle Cat had previously put together a good set of performances on quicker going and, if he can reproduce those efforts, he should be competitive on a sounder surface. 

“It is the same situation with Baccarat - the ground is a key factor to him.

“Comicas has won on turf in the past at Doncaster and Meydan, so he handles the surface. His run in the Golden Shaheen was a career highlight and it is a question of whether he can reproduce that effort on turf. 

“There is no doubt that sprinting is his game and we need to see whether he can do it on turf at this level. 

“All three horses have come back from Dubai in good order and I have been very happy with their training.”