Breeders' Cup hero Conduit set to make Curragh comeback

American dream: Conduit wins the Breeders’ Cup Turf last October

13 April 2012

Sir Michael Stoute said today that Conduit could make his debut this season in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh.

The winner of last year's St Leger at Doncaster, who finished his campaign with victory in the Breeders' Cup Turf in October, is among 31 entries for the mile-and-quarter Group 1 contest on 24 May.

Stoute landed the Tattersalls Gold Cup with Notnowcato in 2007 and the Newmarket trainer is eyeing another raid on the £255,000 race with Conduit.

He confirmed: "We've got to start somewhere, so I have given him an entry in the Tattersalls Gold Cup."

Other entries include Aidan O'Brien's Septimus and Frozen Fire, Jim Bolger's Lush Lashes, the Dermot Weld-trained Casual Conquest and, suprisingly, Willie Mullins' Hurricane Fly, who was ante-post favourite for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham before injury struck.

While pleased with the four-year-old's condition, Stoute does not want to run Conduit too early in the season as he is plotting a lengthy campaign.

"I don't have any set plans for him, but we will consider the obvious big targets for the summer and autumn," he said.

"I have not put a gun to his head yet, as hopefully we are going to enjoy a long season well into the autumn in those championship events."

Conduit's targets could also include Ascot's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, as well as a return to Santa Anita in an attempt to complete back-to-back victories in the Breeders' Cup Turf.

Stoute added: "He looks very athletic.Like most horses from three to four - they grow around half an inch and obviously strengthen up."

The trainer has also entered last year's Epsom Derby fourth Doctor Fremantle and runner-up Tartan Bearer in the Tattersalls Gold Cup, but with the latter and Conduit both being owned by Ballymacoll Stud they are unlikely to end up facing each other.

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Breeders' Cup hero Conduit set to make Curragh comeback

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