NATIVE KHAN might look to have a mountain to climb stepping into Group 1 company for the first time against Frankel, Saamid and possibly Dream Ahead in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket on Champions Day, but Ed has confirmed that this is the preferred option for our highly-rated colt, who has won both his races impressively, including the Solario Stakes at Sandown.
Ed said"I have no regrets about missing the Prix Jean Luc Lagadere at Longchamp last Sunday as conditions were very soft and Native Khan is such a good-actioned horse who floats over the ground. We realise that good ground is probably the best that we can hope for at Newmarket, but I very much suspect that the going will be a lot worse should we wait a week for the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster, so we will take on the big guns in the Dewhurst and hope for the best."
"œNext year we are very much thinking of the Prix du Jockey-Club for Native Khan rather than Epsom. Being French-bred, he qualifies for a handsome premium, and, in any event, on pedigree he is not totally guaranteed to stay the mile and a half of the Derby, so the ten and a half furlongs at Chantilly could prove his optimum distance."