Ribchester In Classic Trial
Exciting three-year-old colt Ribchester heads to Maisons-Laffitte, France, for his seasonal return in the G3 Prix Djebel over seven furlongs on Thursday, April 7.
Time/Date - 13.10hrs local time/Thursday, April 7, 2016
Racecourse/Country - Maisons-Laffitte/France
Surface/Distance - Turf/7f
Exciting three-year-old colt Ribchester heads to Maisons-Laffitte, France, for his seasonal return in the G3 Prix Djebel over seven furlongs on Thursday, April 7.
The son of Iffraaj, who is trained by Richard Fahey, quickened strongly from the rear to beat Log Out Island by a length and a quarter in the six-furlong G2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury on September 19.
He came second over the same distance on both his other starts, including when chasing home Ajaya in the G2 Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Gimcrack Stakes at York on August 22.
His debut run came at Doncaster on July 9 when he was beaten three quarters of a length in a maiden.
Ribchester faces six three-year-old colts, with G1 Criterium International third Attendu and G3 runner-up Vedevani set to provide the main opposition.
Richard Fahey commented: "We are pleased with Ribchester and he has been training well.
"It is heavy ground at Maisons-Laffitte, so the conditions are going to be extreme, but I want to get a run into him.
"I could have given him a racecourse gallop ahead of a potential run in the 2000 Guineas but I wanted to give a day away and get him switched on.
"With the ground, it may be a question of who copes with it best and we hope it can be Ribchester.
"On the dam's side of his pedigree, you would definitely say that he will stay a mile this year.
"He is the sort of horse that has plenty of speed but it might be just because he is quite good."
James Doyle, successful on Ribchester at Newbury, has the mount again.
Ribchester © Mark Cranham
