ROSE NEARS RETURN

Article taken from TDN

Khalid Abdullah’s G1 Haydock Sprint Cup heroine African Rose (OBSERVATORY) is set to return at the end of the month as trainer Criquette Head-Maarek ponders options for the homebred.

While African Roses’s (OBSERVATORY) name featured among the 69 entries unveiled yesterday for the £400,000 Gr.1 Darley July Cup at Newmarket, the July 10th six-furlong contest is not a firm target according to her conditioner.

‘She will hopefully be making her seasonal reappearance over seven furlongs at Longchamp at the end of this month, and we will see how she gets on there before deciding where to go with her,’ Head said. ‘She’s won over both six and seven furlongs and she has the speed to get the lesser trip. We are starting her off over seven because I think it looks easier for her at this time of the season. The stiff six furlongs of the July Course will suit her well, because you really have to travel up the hill.
She has done very well over the winter and I have been pleased with her preparation for the coming season.’

Date: 07 May 2009