John Smith’s Cup: Naqeeb on new path for Camacho

When Julie Camacho recruited Naqeeb she had her eyes set on plundering a major prize at York – but it was not the John Smith’s Cup.

However, the former William Haggas-trained inmate has been displaying more speed than he had for former connections so instead of looking at the Ebor next month over a mile and three-quarters, he heads to the Knavesmire on Saturday over 10 furlongs.

Third at Royal Ascot in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes over a mile and a half, Malton-based Camacho feels they have nothing to lose by running the half-brother to Group One winners Baaeed and Hukum in the £200,000 feature.

“We’d bought him originally to be an Ebor horse. But we haven’t put him in and decided we want to try a mile and a quarter,” she said.

“We were delighted with his run at Ascot. We always felt – and my brother Matthew, who does all the analysis and everything, felt – that he was worth a try at a mile and a quarter. And we just thought this was the race to try him.

“We’re excited to try him at a mile and a quarter, to be honest. He travels strongly in his races. And if we’re wrong, we’re wrong – we just go back up to a mile and a half with him.

“Fast ground is what he wants. He doesn’t want soft. Ryan (Sexton), unfortunately is not available, so Kevin Stott takes over.

“It’s our local track – a track we all want to do well at. We’re really looking forward to it.”

Haggas has a good record in the race and runs recent course winner Archivist, while Jim Goldie, successful in 2018 with Euchen Glen, is represented by Faylaq, another formerly in the care of Haggas.