Bucanero Fuerte facing fitness race ahead of July Cup

Connections are aiming to get Bucanero Fuerte back on track in the My Pension Expert July Cup, with this weekend’s Prix Jean Prat coming too soon after the setback which ruled the colt out of Royal Ascot.

Adrian Murray’s son of Wootton Bassett entered Amo Racing folklore as a two-year-old when amongst last term’s three victories, he provided Kia Joorabchian’s operation with a first Group One success.

His team abandoned the temptation to stretch out to a mile in search of Classic honours earlier this year, putting their eggs firmly in the sprint basket, a decision which looked a shrewd move when the brother to the Abbaye-winning Wooded made virtually all on his return in the Lacken Stakes at Naas.

That victory put Bucanero Fuerte amongst the favourites for the Commonwealth Cup at the Royal meeting, but along with Simon and Ed Crisford’s Vandeek and Karl Burke’s Elite Status, he missed out on Ascot as Kevin Ryan’s Inisherin stormed to glory.

Sticking to a sprint schedule and on the road to a full recovery, Bucanero Fuerte could now get the chance to belatedly lock horns with Inisherin if deemed fit to make the trip over to Newmarket for the six-furlong event.

“We’re thinking of the July Cup at Newmarket,” said Murray.

“He won’t be ready for France (Prix Jean Prat). We’re aiming for Newmarket but whether we will have him ready in time, I don’t know.

“He will have lost a good bit of weight and we’re having to build him back up. We’re hoping to have him there, but there’s no guarantee.

“We have a lot of options for him if we don’t get him to Newmarket.”

He went on: “It was unbelievable to see three of the favourites come out so close to the race (at Ascot), you couldn’t believe that would happen.

“Hopefully we can go to Newmarket, but we will just have to monitor how quickly he comes back to himself.

“He’s been back home a week and looks well, but it’s just he lost a bit of weight and it will be how quickly we can get that back on and get back into serious training with him.”