Beaten Sagitta 2,000 Guineas favourite Xaar looks set to return to action at Deauville on Saturday, connections announced yesterday. Sent off at 10 to 11 for the Newmarket Classic last season's leading European two-year-old finished fourth behind King Of Kings and missed his intended comeback outing in the Prix Messidor last month.
But Xaar has recently pleased connections in his home work. Grant Pritchard-Gordon, racing manager to owner Khalid Abdulla, said yesterday: "Xaar will run in the Group Two Prix Guillaume d'Ornano over 10 furlongs at Deauville on Saturday.
"His trainer Andre Fabre said he's very pleased with the horse and Oliver Peslier will ride."
Xaar will be attempting a mile and a quarter for the first time at the weekend. "Everything has been telling us that he wants 10 furlongs," added Pritchard-Gordon. "But we were always concerned that because he was by Zafonic, who was a miler, but if you remember his (Fabre) reaction after the Dewhurst he said he's my Derby horse and we all said don't be silly but now we all realise that all Zafonics actually stay further.
"I am excited but let's get Saturday over first before we talk about the future but there are only two one-mile-and-a-quarter Group Ones for him afterwards and they are the English Champion Stakes and the Irish Champion Stakes.
"As to the future it's not my decision but we want to see more of him and he may stay in training next season."
Meanwhile, Jack Berry will be fielding a strong team at York's three-day festival of racing which starts next Tuesday. His King's Stand Stakes winner Bolshoi returns to the fray in the Persimmon Nunthorpe Stakes, having been beaten at Chester last time, but Berry's faith in his horses is not a fragile affair.
He admitted: "Maybe I should not have run him there, he was drawn wide and they got the run on him, but he has come out of the race well and has done us proud this season."
Every apprentice needs an equine friend to help him along the road to the top and Carl Lowther has certainly found one in Bolshoi. He rides him again, but Berry is on the lookout for a lightweight jockey for Speedy James who will also take his chance in the Nunthorpe.
It is the exception rather than the rule for juveniles to take on their elders in the Group One test, but Berry added: "He has only 7st 13lb and they will go a fair clip so it will suit him - he is not there to make up the numbers you know!"
Norfolk Stakes winner Rosselli takes up the gauntlet, with John Carroll on board, in the Scottish Equitable Gimcrack Stakes and Berry is certain that we did not see the best of the colt in the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood.
