Sea Of Class to miss intended return in Middleton Stakes at York

Sea Of Class will miss her intended reappearance in the Middleton Stakes at York’s Dante meeting next month, William Haggas revealed on Luck On Sunday this morning.

Haggas had hoped to start the Irish Oaks winner on the Knavesmire, but a recent raised temperature forced her to have an easy week.

Royal Ascot is her early focus, but whether she runs before the big meeting is still to be decided.

“She spiked a temperature about two weeks ago which we didn’t like,” Haggas said to Nick Luck on Racing TV’s weekly breakfast show.

“It was down within 24 hours, but a couple of markers on her blood weren’t great so we’ve had to give her a week off, which is why we’ll take her out of the Middleton on Tuesday.

“She’s essentially fine, she’s back in work and looks great. We think she’s improved a bit and we’re also delighted they’ve decided not to run Almond Eye (in Europe).

“I’d love to meet her some day, I was very impressed with her at Meydan, but I’m very keen to have a crack at the colts this year.

“It’s a bit softly-softly to go for all the Group One races for fillies. The other thing I want to do is bring her back in trip because I don’t think any race she won last year she won because she out-galloped them – I think she won because she was quicker than them.

“A bit like Almond Eye, Sea Of Class would have been interesting in that nine-furlong race because I think she’s quite similar, she’s got a turn of foot so I really want to go for the Prince of Wales’s, that’s my first one.

“I’ve discussed it with Mrs Tsui (owner), she’s up for it, naturally, so that’s what we’d like to do – whether we get a run in first will be up to her really.”