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Isaac Shelby given Park Stakes target

Isaac Shelby is expected to stay at seven furlongs for the Group 2 Park Stakes at Doncaster on 14 September.

Isaac Shelby and Sean Levey (near) winning The bet365 Superlative Stakes.
Isaac Shelby and Sean Levey (near) winning The bet365 Superlative Stakes. Picture: Pat Healy Photography

Second in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas), Isaac Shelby produced another solid effort when fourth behind Paddington in the Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The Brian Meehan-trained colt seemed to appreciate the return to seven furlongs when a strong second behind Kinross in the Group 2 Lennox Stakes at Glorious Goodwood. Jockey Sean Levey was always prominent on the son of Night Of Thunder, pressing eventual winner Kinross all the way to the line.

"We were delighted with Isaac. He is as good a seven-furlong horse as there is, Kinross," said Richard Brown from Blandford Bloodstock, who purchases horses for owner Wathnan Racing. 

"So we were delighted to get to within a neck of him and I think Frankie [Dettori] was surprised as well.

"His form has got a very solid feel and I would say that is his best performance, really.

"He is a quite an immature horse, so we took the view that we would space his races and look after him with a view to next year.

"He has never let us down. He is lovely and is a great horse to own.

"At the moment we are not committing to anything – he has numerous options. Everything is open, but the Park Stakes is very much on the radar. That is about six weeks' time.

"At one stage we were considering the Haydock Sprint Cup, but he was strongest at the line on Tuesday, so at this stage, we would be seeing him as a seven-furlong horse and next year, when he strengthens again, at some stage we will be going back up to a mile."


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