Clarendon House set for double date in York this summer

Clarendon House has two York dates in his diary after leaving a starting blip behind him to land the Midsummer Sprint Stakes at Cork.

The Robert Cowell-trained gelding is a seasoned five-furlong sprinter who began his season in the Middle East when finishing fourth in the Group Two Blue Point Sprint at Meydan.

He was then third in the Listed Hever Sprint at Southwell, after which he landed the valuable Lindum York Handicap on the Knavesmire in the middle of May.

That run led into the Epsom Dash on Derby Day, where the bay was well fancied at 11-2 but for the first time in his career was unwilling to leave the stalls and let the field go on without him.

Cowell acted by calling in Craig and Jake Witheford, experts in equine behaviour whose work clearly did the trick when Clarendon House lined up for the Listed Midsummer Sprint at Cork on June 14.

Under Colin Keane and going off as the 2-1 favourite, Cowell’s runner was much the best as he exited the stalls without hesitation and strode to a comfortable two-and-three-quarter-length victory.

“It was a good run, I don’t know what he beat but he did it good fashion anyway,” the trainer said.

“He was clearly way too good for whoever he did beat, it was really good to see and he came out of the gates which was the main thing.

“He was quick this time, the Withefords have done a good job and it’s up to the horse now to prove that he’s not becoming a bit reluctant.

“We never saw it coming at Epsom and hopefully that was the first and last time.”

Now a return to York beckons, with the Listed City Walls Stakes the next target before the Group One Nunthorpe becomes the aim.

“He goes to the City Walls Stakes at York, where he’ll carry a 3lb penalty, and then he’ll go to the Nunthorpe – so he’s got York and then York on his agenda now,” said Cowell.

“He won that big handicap at York so we know he likes the track, a nice, fast and furious pace is what he needs to aim at.

“He’ll get that in the Nunthorpe and his rating would give him an outside squeak so we’re looking forward to running him.”