Godolphin's G2 Coventry S. winner Buratino (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), who sidestepped last week's G2 Gimcrack S. due to soft ground at York, is now being prepared for the G1 Middle Park S. Sept. 26 but could take in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf if the ground comes up against him again at Newmarket.
Buratino has won four times in a busy juvenile campaign, all over good or better ground, and Charlie Johnston, son and assistant of trainer Mark Johnston, said the decision was made after the colt's last-out third in the G1 Phoenix S. Aug. 9 to not run on soft ground again.
“He will be very ground dependent for the rest of the year and ideally we would go for the Middle Park next, but you are in the lap of the gods as regards to the weather at that time of year,” said Charlie Johnston. “If there weren't any suitable opportunities at home at the end of the season and the weather transpires against us, then the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf would come under consideration. It is a race Europeans do well in and the step up in trip to a mile shouldn't be a problem, as the long-term aim is the Guineas next year and we expect him to stay a mile.”
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