Craven Stakes winner Oxagon remains on track for the 2000 Guineas and connections are hopeful that the first time cheek-pieces worn there will continue to have the desired effect.
The son of Frankel was well backed in the Craven, making all under Oisin Murphy in a well-dictated ride. His profile isn’t the most assuring of classic winners, after an inconsistent two-year-old campaign. A beaten fifth on the July course on debut, he stepped up massively when an eight length winner at Sandown. That was his sole win, as he was beaten in the Champagne Stakes by Puerto Rico next time out.
He failed to land a blow when fifth in the Dewhurst, and completely bombed out in the Futurity on heavy ground. However, he’s bred to improve with age and will be a threat if the cheek-pieces continue to provide that spark.
Headgear the ‘key’ to Oxagon – Ted Voute
Speaking to the Press Association, via At The Races, his owners racing manager Ted Voute said: “He’s really good, hopefully we found the key to him with the cheekpieces last time. We struggled at the end of last year, he did run well in the Dewhurst. But the trainer said it was his mistake to run in the Futurity after that. In the Champagne, Oisin said he should have made more use of him.
“He looks very square and probably a sprinter. But I think when they put the cheekpieces on they sort of felt that it wasn’t the distance that was the problem. It was more trying to focus his competitiveness.
“He showed that in the Craven, and if he can run a similar race to that we should be all right.”
Oxagon will have to defy some unwarranted trends to take the 2000 Guineas. No winner of the race this century has won wearing headgear, and no horse has done the Craven/Guineas double since Haafhd in 2004. That said, Field Of Gold was half a length away last season from that feat, and arguably should have delivered.
The 2000 Guineas has cut up plenty throughout the season, and another setback was announced in the Francis-Henri Graffard camp. Samangan was second in the Prix Djebel on reappearance, but connections have decided against the Newmarket foray. Nemone Routh, the Agan Khan Studs racing manager, said: “We weren’t 100 per cent pleased with his bloodwork this morning. And we weren’t 100 per cent convinced after his work yesterday. It is nothing serious, but obviously going into a Classic you need to be 100 per cent.”