Pyledriver points to Sheema Classic
Group 1 winner Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}), who finished 11th in the G3 Neom Turf Cup of the Saudi Cup in Riyadh on Saturday, is in fine form and remains on the roster for the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic on the night. Dubai World Cup in March. 26. Breaking everything from gate 14 on Saturday, the entire 5-year-old never appeared comfortable being stuck outside the fence for most of the race. In the end, he tired and turned back before being thwarted by an opponent who had dropped two jackets outside his home field.
“He was fine right after the race, nothing was wrong with him and he was in really good form, we were only knocked out in lap 14 and as soon as we were 150 yards I said with the boys watching on “us” TV. didn’t stand a chance,” said co-trainer William Muir, who shares a license with Chris Grassick. “We were pushed out onto the big pitch and that’s where we got drawn so we have no complaints, but we were pushed away and we never got along.
“It wasn’t a nice race for us and then there was a little bump and that horse [Channel Cat] going down, that’s sad, that collided with us and then Martin [Dwyer] just took care of him.
“It’s just one of those people you have to get through, it’s disappointing to go to such a long way to get to a race like that but it happens – it’s the luck of the draw.”
Winner of the G1 Crowning Cup last June, the bay added a listing on Lingfield in November and then a good second in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase on December 12.
“He’s fine, he really didn’t have a race and he only fired for about five minutes,” said the coach, who missed the trip to Riyadh due to COVID-19. “He looked great this morning, they did a video for me and he was 100% sound. If he gets home okay then he will continue on his way to Dubai and we will attend the Sheema Classic.
“It’s just one of the things, from me testing positive and not being able to go, I’m frustrated about it, then things don’t go as planned. It’s not like that. “
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This story was posted in Europe, News shared in Europe, Europe’s Top News and tagged Coronavirus, Covid, COVID-19, G1 Dubai Sheema Classic, G3 Neom Turf Cup, Pyledriver (GB), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Cup, William Muir and Chris Grassick.