Elegant Man has the Lockinge and Coronation Cup as options after his Good Friday triumph was followed by a boost from the Middle East.

The Amo Racing-owned four-year-old ran three times through the winter, winning twice at Dundalk and coming home second behind Rebel’s Romance in the Listed Wild Flower Stakes at Kempton.

The impression he made in those runs left him carrying top-weight at Newcastle, where he ran in the BetUK All-Weather Easter Classic Middle Distance from a wide draw in stall 14.

Neither factor was a hindrance to him in the 10-furlong contest, however, and under David Egan he was an impressive winner when crossing the line a length and a half ahead of Mick Appleby’s Penzance.

“It was a big run, but we were expecting a big run and he didn’t fail to deliver – he’s a right nice horse,” said trainer Adrian Murray.

A son of the late American superstar Arrogate, Elegant Man’s form was quickly boosted the following day when Rebel’s Romance struck at Group One level to take the Sheema Classic at the Dubai World Cup meeting, a two-length victory that reflects very well on Elegant Man after their meeting at Kempton.

“It’s huge, a huge boost. The day when we met that horse we were very, very green, it was only the second time he’d ever seen a racecourse,” Murray added.

Elegant Man is entered in the Alleged Stakes at the Curragh on Saturday but will not run, and is instead likely to be aimed at either the Coronation Cup or the Lockinge.

“I entered him this morning for the Coronation Cup and he’s entered at Newbury over a mile, too,” said his trainer.

“He’s entered in the Curragh on Saturday but he won’t go there, the race will come up a bit quick for him so we’ll freshen him up again.”

Murray also trains Bucanero Fuerte for Amo Racing, a Wootton Bassett colt who won the Railway and the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh last year and was third in both the Coventry and the National Stakes.

He holds an entry for the English and the Irish Guineas, but may head to Ascot for the Commonwealth Cup Trial in preparation for the Commonwealth Cup itself at the Royal meeting in June.

“He’s getting on great, we’re very happy with him,” Murray said.

“He’ll go for the Guineas or he’ll go for a race at Ascot, a prep race for Royal Ascot over six furlongs.”

Adrian Murray is keen to give Arizona Blaze more match practice ahead of a planned appearance at Royal Ascot following his impressive debut at the Curragh earlier this month.

The County Westmeath trainer saddled subsequent Group One winner Bucanero Fuerte to claim the first two-year-old race of the Irish turf campaign last year and repeated the feat with this son of first-season sire Sergei Prokofiev.

While Arizona Blaze’s victory was achieved in testing conditions, Murray would not be afraid to run him on a quicker surface as he looks to continue his education ahead of the showpiece meeting in Berkshire in mid-June.

“We were thrilled with the run and he’s come out of the race great. He was doing his best work at the finish on very testing ground and he looks like a decent horse,” said the trainer.

“He’ll probably have one more run and then we’ll go to Royal Ascot, all being well. We’ve no plans yet as we want to give him a bit of time to get over that first run.

“It’s hard to say what sort of ground he wants, he handled that heavy ground very well, but you’d be looking forward to getting him on a bit of better ground.”

Valiant Force is set to remain in America following his brilliant second at the Breeders’ Cup.

The son of Malibu Moon went into Amo Racing folklore earlier in the summer when his shock 150-1 Norfolk Stakes success at Royal Ascot gave Kia Joorabchian’s racing operation their first triumph at the summer showpiece.

That victory earned Valiant Force a ticket to Santa Anita for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint and after an unsuccessful foray up at six furlongs in the Prix Morny, connections bided their time in anticipation of perfect conditions in California.

Although sent off somewhat unfancied by the layers, he came within half a length of a second surprise big-race success when runner-up to Big Evs and with the pick of his form coming on fast ground, will now continue his career stateside.

“We were waiting for good ground with him He’s a very good horse and to be second was brilliant,” said trainer Adrian Murray.

“You are hopeful for these things to happen but they don’t always happen and we had a great week. I was really proud of the horse.”

He went on: “We took him over for the Prix Morny and he couldn’t get out of the soft ground at all. So we decided then we wouldn’t run him again until the Breeders’ Cup.

“At the minute he is staying in America. There is a possibility he might come back for Royal Ascot, but the ground doesn’t really suit him here, he needs fast ground.

“The plan for the last two or three months was pretty much to go to the Breeders’ Cup and probably stay there. He’s going down to Florida I think.

“He’s been brilliant and you couldn’t dream of these things to happen. To have a winner at Royal Ascot and then go to the Breeders’ Cup and be second is just class.”

The trip to the Breeders’ Cup was the culmination of a special season for Murray who not only tasted glory at the Royal meeting with Valiant Force, but also secured a first Group One triumph thanks to the exploits of Bucanero Fuerte.

“I really enjoyed it (the Breeders’ Cup) and it was some experience,” said Murray

“The season has been absolutely fantastic and could not have gone any better. We’re just very very lucky to have some right nice horses.”

Bucanero Fuerte is finished for the season and will be trained in the early part of next with with a Guineas in mind.

Trainer Adrian Murray felt his lacklustre display in the Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes behind Henry Longfellow was a result of having one race too many.

He had earlier proved his class with a striking four-length victory in the Group One Phoenix Stakes over six furlongs, but Murray believes he was beaten too far out at the Curragh for stamina to have been the issue on his first attempt over seven.

“Nothing came to light, it just looked to me like it was a race too many for him,” said Murray.

“He’s on a break now, he won’t run again until next year. I’ve given him an entry in the Irish Guineas and he’ll also get entered in the English Guineas.

“Hopefully he’ll have a prep run before going for one of those.

“He was beaten way too far out for it to be the trip, he was beaten before halfway, he never really travelled in the race.

“In all his other races he’d travelled so strongly but it was always going to probably happen because he’s a big colt, immature, and it was just a race too many really.

“He’s had five races now so he’s got plenty of experience at two if we’re thinking of a Guineas. That’s the plan anyway.”

Stablemate Valiant Force was a 150-1 winner of the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot and has only been seen once since, when fifth of nine in the Prix Morny behind Vandeek.

“Valiant Force is going to go straight to the Breeders’ Cup,” said Murray.

“The plan for him is for him to then stay in America after that.

“We had him in at Doncaster last week but we had to take him out because of the ground, it’s frustrating because we just can’t get the ground to suit him. That wouldn’t have suited at all last week.

“I’m not sure yet which race he’ll run in over there, I’ll have to talk to Kia (Joorabchian, owner), he’ll have a few options.”

Bucanero Fuerte provided trainer Adrian Murray and owners Amo Racing with a first taste of Group One success with an impressive display in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh.

Third behind the unbeaten River Tiber in the Coventry at Royal Ascot, the Wootton Bassett colt had since edged out the reopposing Unquestionable to lift the Group Two Railway Stakes over the Phoenix course and distance.

Unquestionable was the 15-8 favourite for the rematch as he looked to provide Aidan O’Brien with a staggering 18th victory in the race, but Bucanero Fuerte reaffirmed his superiority in no uncertain terms under Kevin Stott.

On the speed from the start, Stott’s mount kicked away from Unquestionable entering the final two furlongs and it was soon all over bar the shouting.

Porta Fortuna, the previously unbeaten Albany Stakes winner, came from further back in an attempt to bridge the gap, but Bucanero Fuerte was well on top and had four lengths in hand at the line.

Stott saluted the crowd on passing the post, having claimed his first top-level win since being appointed number one jockey for owners Amo Racing earlier this year.

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