It’s a Dundeel may head to the Queen Elizabeth Stakes via the Doncaster Mile instead of the BMW.
John Messara, whose Arrowfield Stud part-owns the entire, flagged the possibility of a change in campaign after It’s a Dundeel finished third behind Silent Achiever in Saturday’s Group 1 Ranvet Stakes at Rosehill.
Messara said the switch to the Doncaster, where It’s a Dundeel is top weight with 58kg, is “worth considering.”
“At the end of the day we are going to be guided by Murray (Baker),” Messara said on Sunday.
“He loomed up quite early on the turn to win, but he didn’t quite finish it off. All those horses he ran against (on Saturday) had at least one more run than him.
“At that Group 1 open level you need to be tight and wound up and ready to go.
“Whether running him in a 2400 metres, which is a further increase in distance, is going to help or whether he should consolidate his fitness by running at a slightly shorter distance is a decision we’re going to have to arrive at with Murray.
“I’m waiting to see how the horse pulled up and what Murray thinks, but I think we have to leave that possibility open.”
The $1.5 million BMW (2400m) is run at Rosehill on April 5 while the $3 million Doncaster Mile (1600m) is run at Randwick a week later.
The $4 million Queen Elizabeth (2000m), which is the ultimate goal for It’s a Dundeel, is run at Randwick on April 19.
– Racing Network
