In his first serious exercise since winning the April 2 Xpressbet.com Florida Derby (gr. I), Reddam Racing’s Nyquist galloped strongly once around the main track at Keeneland the morning of April 11.

Following the outing, trainer Doug O’Neill said the colt will work Friday, April 15, at Keeneland.

With exercise rider Jonny Garcia aboard and assistant track Jack Sisterson, who was equipped with a GoPro camera on his helmet, observing, Nyquist jogged once around the track before galloping one lap.

“It was his first day back galloping and Jonny said he felt great,” said Sisterson. “We couldn’t be any happier with him. We’re in a good position.”

Sisterson said Nyquist, the champion 2-year-old male of 2015 who is undefeated in seven starts and is the current favorite for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I),  would once again gallop Tuesday, April 12. Following Nyquist’s arrival at Keeneland the morning after the Florida Derby, in which the colt earned a $1 million bonus because he was sold at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton Florida sale of 2-year-olds in training and won Gulfstream Park’s biggest race, he was diagnosed with an elevated white blood cell count that delayed his return to the track.

Now that the son of Uncle Mo   has resumed galloping, Sisterson said O’Neill and Paul Reddam would map out a workout schedule leading up to the May 7 Derby, which Reddam and O’Neill won in 2012 withI’ll Have Another .

fonte : Bloodhorse.com

Foundation: Derby hope is to return in the Craven on Thursday

 PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Frankie relishing Craven return of Foundation

FOUNDATION, the joint-second favourite for the Investec Derby, is set to make his return in the Novae Bloodstock Insurance Craven Stakes at Newmarket on Thursday, much to the delight of his rider Frankie Dettori.

RELATED LINKS,   Newmarket Tuesday card ,   Newmarket Wednesday card ,   Newmarket Thursday entries 

Foundation, who won his first three starts as a juvenile before meeting with a luckless defeat in the Racing Post Trophy, is a top price of 12-1 for the Derby and Dettori is hoping the horse will advertise his Classic claims at Newmarket.

“He’s already won at Newmarket and was really unlucky in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster last time out so we have high hopes for him,” Dettori said. “He would have been a lot closer [at Doncaster] with a clear run, so I am sure he will show his true colours on Thursday.”

“He’s currently third favourite for the Derby and fourth favourite for the 2,000 Guineas and he looks to be in really good shape at home,” added Dettori, who was writing in his Ladbrokes blog.

Declarations for the Craven will be made on Tuesday morning but potential opponents for Foundation include Johannes Vermeer and Stormy Antarctic, the colts who fought out the finish to the Group 1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud last year.

Nell Gwyn first up

The three-day Craven meeting begins on Tuesday and Dettori will ride Nathra in the feature Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes. Like Foundation, Nathra is trained by John Gosden and forfeited an unbeaten record when meeting with defeat in Group 1 company on her final start last year.

Nathra was by no means disgraced in the Fillies’ Mile, as she finished second to the impressive Minding, who surged to the head of the 1,000 Guineas betting (Nathra is 16-1). Dettori is expecting a bold show in the Nell Gwyn without that rival to contend with.

“She is a very solid filly and went well when coming second in the Dubai Fillies’ Mile here last time out on softer ground. Obviously this is a trial but she comes into the race with every chance,” Dettori said.

Will another Golden Horn emerge?

Subsequent Derby and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Golden Horn started his season with a win in the Feilden Stakes at last year’s Craven meeting and connections of the four promising colts who take part in this year’s renewal will be dreaming of following a similar path.

Hugo Palmer, who started last season with a bang, notably notching a double on the first day of the Craven meeting, saddles Mengli Khan, who he hopes will be a different proposition to the horse that disappointed in the Racing Post Trophy.

“Mengli Khan is a horse who cost a fair amount, is a glorious-looking son of Lope De Vega, and has the pedigree to match, being a full-brother to Very Special and a half-brother to Fillies’ Mile and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf winner Chriselliam,” Palmer said in his Betfair blog.

“We have always assumed that he is better than ordinary and have always liked him, so perhaps we overfaced him too soon after his maiden win when running him in the Racing Post Trophy.

“In hindsight, it was a mistake, but it is a mistake I will make again. And happily so. Nothing ventured, nothing gained,” the trainer added.