Slick sprinter Lord Of The Sky could be making a trip to France after running in the Group 3 $150,000 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on July 30.
Lord Of The Sky has the opportunity to end his racing career in France before standing at stud in the European breeding season in the early months of next year.
Trainer Robbie Laing said there had been some serious inquiries from French interest to race Lord Of The Sky in a series of sprint races leading up to the Prix de l’Arc De Triomphe race day.
“There’s a series of sprint races leading up the main one on Arc de Triomphe Day and they thought he would be the type of horse to go over and win those sort of races and then go to stud in January or February in the Northern hemisphere,” Laing told racing.com.
“For sure (we’re considering that option), if the money is right.
“The Australian studs, because of that inch second (to Chautauqua in last year’s T J Smith Stakes), there’s not a lot of interest, so we’re thinking about it.”
The Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp over 1000m on Sunday, October 2 will be Lord Of The Sky’s main French target if Laing and the rising six year old’s group of owners decide to take up the offer.
Lord Of The Sky was showing some signs of returning to his best form with a first up fourth to Wild Rain in the Group 3 $150,000 Food Services Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on July 16.
The front running sprinter was actually third across the line but relegated back one spot after the connections of fourth across the line Atmospherical successfully protested against Lord Of The Sky for causing interference at the 200m mark.
Laing said that Lord Of The Sky needed that run and would strip fitter when he lines up in the Bletchingly Stakes.
“It says he’s now run fourth but in actual fact he was beaten an inch for second,” Laing said.
“He showed a tonne of pace, he was brave and more importantly he pulled up terrific.
“He definitely went there a run short – he looks a lot tighter and I’m very happy with him.
“I’m looking forward to the Bletchingly.”
Lord Of The Sky’s best efforts to date were during the 2015 Sydney and Adelaide Autumn Carnivals when he ran a nose second to champion sprinter Chautauqua in the 2015 Group 1 $2.5m Darley T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick followed by a second to Flamberge in the Group 1 $500,000 Darley Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville six weeks later.
– horseracing.com.au
