Audience ready for Al Quoz Sprint assignment at Meydan

Audience is all set to fly the flag for Cheveley Park Stud in the Al Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup night.

While the Willie Mullins-trained Grangeclare West could represent the famous Newmarket-based operation in the Grand National on the same afternoon, in contrast, last year’s Lockinge winner will be taking on some of the world’s best speedsters in Meydan.

“The trip might be a bit tight for him, but he’s in good form and if he’s grown up a bit mentally, he might be able to put his best foot forward and we’ll see what happens,” said Chris Richardson, managing director of Cheveley Park Stud.

“I watched him last week and he did a nice single solo on the Al Bahathri and everyone seemed to be all smiles afterwards.

“We’ll give it a whirl and we all know he can be a bit quirky and we might need a bit of luck, but he’s in good form.”

Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Audience was the owners’ sole winner at the highest level last term when scoring at Newbury in a race that also featured former stablemate Inspiral, carrying the same Cheveley Park colours.

That victory came over a mile, but with his other four successes all at seven furlongs, it is no surprise to see connections already thinking about the newest Group One on the British calendar at York later in the summer.

Richardson added: “I think seven furlongs is his ideal and now the City of York is a Group One, that will probably be the main target for him.

“But it’s nice to have a runner on the international stage in the meantime and it’s a very valuable pot.”