RACING: Cityscape primed for Deauville encounter (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

RACING: Cityscape primed for Deauville encounter

7:05pm Wednesday 8th August 2012 in General Sport

CITYSCAPE will revert to a mile this weekend for the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville on Sunday.

Roger Charlton’s six-year-old won the Dubai Duty Free over nine furlongs on Dubai World Cup night and attempted to stretch his stamina to 10 furlongs in the Eclipse when last seen.

Having travelled as well as anything until the two-furlong marker, he was running on empty up the Sandown hill and it is no surprise to see him step back down in trip.

“Cityscape is an intended runner in the Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville on Sunday and we should have a better idea after the forfeit stage what is running," said the Beckhampton trainer.

“With Frankel frightening off most of the runners in the Sussex Stakes, Sunday’s race is likely to be very competitive.’’

Charlton is hoping the ground remains pretty testing in Ireland as he prepares Definightly for a crack at the Patrick P. O´Leary Memorial Phoenix Sprint Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday.

The six-year-old won at the track on his penultimate start but was well beaten behind Godolphin's Soul at Newbury last time out.

Johnny Murtagh has been booked having won on him in June.

Charlton added: “Definightly may travel to Ireland again to run in the Phoenix Sprint at the Curragh on Sunday.

“He will need the ground to remain on the slow side and Johnny Murtagh has been booked to ride again.’’ Aidan O’Brien could run either Excelebration or the returning Starspangledbanner.

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