Duke of Marmalade及New Approach極可能雙雙缺席朱德望
A Juddmonte International encounter between Duke Of Marmalade and New Approach next Friday appears to be increasingly improbable.
Firstly, it is far from certain that racing will go ahead on the Knavesmire on Friday, with Tuesday and Wednesday both called off due to waterlogging.
Furthermore, not only has Aidan O'Brien cast doubt about Duke Of Marmalade returning to York: Jim Bolger says that New Approach is also more unlikely than likely to partake on Friday.
O'Brien explained to the Racing Post: "Duke Of Marmalade had been travelling since 5am and had landed before the inspection.
"If he hadn't travelled over, we'd be in a better position to decide whether he'll run on Friday - but having travelled over and back once, he'd be at a big disadvantage if we sent him back.
"We'll review the situation," he concluded, "in the next couple of days."
Bolger's reservations are for different reasons.
"I was told of the situation by [course clerk] William Derby; New Approach was at the airport and we decided to bring him home," he said on Tuesday.
"I'll be discussing the situation with John Ferguson [chief bloodstock agent to Sheikh Mohammed, wife of New Approach's owner Princess Haya] in the morning, but I'd say at this stage the chances of New Approach running on Friday are no more than 50-50.
"Friday brings the race that bit closer to the Irish Champion Stakes on September 6 and, while there were only two weeks between his running in the Irish Guineas and the Epsom Derby, we're talking about entirely different ground to what York has."
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