Lazy Griff aiming to be Marathon man at Sandown

Charlie Johnston continues to be on a fact-finding mission over the optimal distance for Lazy Griff ahead of the Coral Marathon at Sandown on Friday.

The four-year-old had been off the track for almost a year before he stepped up in trip to two miles for his reappearance in the Henry II Stakes.

The Protectionist colt did not disgrace himself as he was a two-length third behind Dubai Future, rallying well in race not run to suit.

Johnston is keen to have another look at Lazy Griff over two miles before mapping out a plan for the rest of the season.

Johnston said: “We had plenty of options, but this has been at the forefront of my mind since he made his reappearance.

“Obviously the ground looks like being on the quick side again, but I felt it had been well managed prior to his reappearance and I’m expecting similarish conditions on Friday which will be OK.

“There was maybe a little bit of frustration in the reappearance run in that it turned into such a messy race. We were going so slow and David (Probert, on Dubai Future) was clever to loop the field and steal the race essentially, so it didn’t feel we really learned enough about what is going to be his optimum distance this year.

“I felt the most likely path would be a Goodwood Cup and an Irish Leger, so as a result I felt this was the next obvious stepping stone to learn a bit more.

“He got caught for room when the race developed and it developed into a bit of a two-furlong sprint which for a horse coming back from a year off maybe wasn’t ideal, but I still thought he ran very respectably in the circumstances and I’d like to think he’ll build on that on Friday.

“It’s not out of the question that he would come back to a mile and a half at some point. Plan A at the moment involves him being campaigned between a mile and six and two miles, but until he’s run again who knows. That might change on Friday.”

Lazy Griff will face four rivals in Esher with Andrew Balding’s Furthur likely to provide the sternest test.

The field is completed by Ralph Beckett’s Lady Vivian, Paradias from Alan King’s yard and Michael Bell’s Duke Of Oxford.

Roger Varian has challenged Sallaal to confirm the impressive nature of his recent Epsom handicap success when he takes on some proven performers in the Davies Insurance Solutions Gala Stakes elsewhere on the card.

The four-year-old earned rave reviews for his facile six-and-a-half-length victory on Oaks day, earning a 12lb rise from the handicapper that now leaves him returning to Listed company with a rating of 119 and heading the field of six on official figures.

However, the Carlburg Stables handler is wary his in-form four-year-old faces some experienced rivals at the Esher track and is well aware the son of Frankel – who is out of Varian’s first ever Group One winner Nahrain – will have to bring his best to the table.

Varian said: “He’s a lovely horse, but he needs to back it up now and it’s one thing to do it in handicap company, albeit off a big weight, and although he ran to a big figure at Epsom, this is no easy Listed race.

“If you look at ratings, many of them are rated over 110 and it’s a meaty Listed race, but at the same time the right one for him to be in at this stage of his career.”

He added: “I’m really happy with him I have to say, but it’s going to be a different kind of test and hopefully he can build on that performance at Epsom and confirm the rating he has been given – 119 is a big mark to come out of a handicap with, so he has to justify it now and fingers crossed he will.”

Dr Richard Newland and Jamie Insole’s Dividend was a highly-respectable third in the Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot when last seen, finishing ahead of Richard Hannon’s reopposing Persica in fifth and Royal Rhyme (14th) who is one of two in the race for Karl Burke alongside Boiling Point.

Completing the sextet is Hugo Palmer’s Glacius, a handy performer at two who was beaten only a length and a quarter when making his seasonal reappearance in the Hampton Court Stakes at the Royal meeting.

Rob Speers, racing manager for owner Ibrahim Araci said: “The horse just wasn’t right in the spring and Mr Araci and Hugo agreed to be patient with him and they gave him lots of time. There was no setback and never lame, he was just wrong in his coat.

“He had a Guineas entry, he had Derby trial entries and he had a Derby entry, and we had to sit and watch all of them go by until he got ready to a point where he could start.

“To make his debut this year in the Hampton Court, having been off the track for 250 days and to run like he did, is a huge training performance from Hugo and it is really good to have an owner like Mr Araci, who was able to watch all those entries go by and all that money disappear and be patient.

“Billy (Loughnane) just said in the final 100 yards that that lack of a run just toll at the end and emptied that final 100 yards. Hopefully now he will reward everyone for that patience as the season goes on.”

Meanwhile, Nigel Tinkler is convinced Ronson can benefit from swerving Royal Ascot to take his chance in the Coral Dragon Stakes.

He was a well-beaten seventh of nine on his racecourse debut at Beverley in a race won by Kevin Ryan’s smart unbeaten colt Matteo.

But the son of Ubettabelieveit put that right on his next outing on the Westwood when he galloped home five lengths clear of Navy Light to break his maiden.

He then stepped up in graded again at Beverley in the Two Year Old Trophy when he came face-to-face with Matteo again and this time he fared much better and was only a short head down in second despite taking his time getting up to speed.

Tinkler said: “He was a bit unfortunate the last day, he wasn’t slow out of the stalls but he was a little bit slow into his stride and then he got into a bit of traffic problems and finished second, but I think the winner was quite useful and we were very pleased, he is a nice horse.

“He won well before that and produced a good time over the last furlong so we’re more than happy and we’re looking forward to it.

“We thought about going to Ascot, but we just felt the occasion – he’s never been to a sales ring, he’s quite babyish and we thought going for this race with only about seven or eight runners would be more ideal for him at this time in his career.

“He won’t mind the ground and I hope they have watered well, let’s hope it’s not too firm but it was quite quick when he was second last time.”

Ronson will face eight rivals, with Richard Hughes’ Ascot-winning Bint Archange looking to get back to winning ways after disappointing in the Queen Mary at the Royal meeting.