Natagora ready for D-Day
Monday 28th April, 2008
2007 Cheveley Park heroine Natagora set for Newmarket return
PATRICK Barbe, racing manager to Natagora’s owner Stefan Friborg, revealed today that the flying grey filly has come out of her prep race in fine form and it is now all systems go for the stanjamesuk.com 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday, May 4.
Pascal Bary’s cross-Channel raider is aiming to become the first French-trained winner of the 1000 Guineas since Hatoof in 1992.
Last season’s Group One Cheveley Park Stakes heroine scored a pleasing heavy ground victory in the seven-furlong Prix Imprudence at Maisons-Laffitte on April 14, and is a 9/2 chance with Stan James.
Barbe reported: "Everything is under control following her reappearance and she went quietly on the grass again two days ago. It was just an easy canter and she is happy - eating well and training well. All the lights are green and we hope for the best.
"She won very easily in the Prix Imprudence, especially as the ground was against her. On the other hand, the heavy going probably made it more of a stamina test. In that testing ground, the distance, while not quite equivalent to a mile at Newmarket, was close to it."