'He handled soft ground well when winning at Galway' - Aidan O'Brien goes for Royal Lodge record with Puppet Master

Aidan O’Brien goes for a record-equalling eighth win in the Royal Lodge with sole representative Puppet Master.

The son of Camelot chased home Apples And Bananas on his debut at Killarney and the Joseph O’Brien-trained winner backed up by landing a valuable Listed race at Deauville.

Puppet Master confirmed that was an above-average Killarney maiden when making easy work of a Galway festival maiden second time out. That form is also working out, with the runner-up chasing home two promising colts at Punchestown last week and the third taking down an odds-on shot in a Tipperary maiden. Puppet Master's proven stamina on testing ground may count for plenty.

Wimbledon Hawkeye has shown he belongs at this level. He was an eyecatching third in the Superlative before outrunning his odds in the Acomb when finding only top Ballydoyle prospect The Lion In Winter too good. Testing ground over a stiff mile is the main concern for a son of Kameko who is yet to go beyond seven furlongs.

One who looks likely to appreciate further is Royal Playwright, who was lit up early coming out of the stalls in the Solario when bidding to follow up an impressive debut win at Salisbury.

Owner Jeff Smith won this last year with Ghostwriter and has enjoyed plenty of success with this colt’s family. Royal Playwright’s half-sister, See The Fire, was narrowly denied in last month’s Nassau before a Group 3 win at York and their dam, Arabian Queen, was a Group 2 winner on the Newmarket July course as a juvenile before her famous International success on the Knavesmire at three.

Luther was put in as the early favourite but the form of his Haydock win has questions hanging over it, with two at big prices filling the places, and slower ground this time is an unknown.

What they say

Hugo Palmer, trainer of Hawksbill
He was only three and three-quarter lengths behind Luther last time when he was pretty unlucky. I'm not saying he'd have beaten him but he'd have been closer than he was. I'm a believer in running horses. I very nearly didn't run the horse [The Waco Kid] who bolted up in the Somerville Tattersall Stakes on Thursday and that's making me feel bolder about things. He's out of a Frankel mare and Frankels seem to handle soft ground, but there's an American pedigree there as well. He's a big, strong colt who probably should cope with most things. I'll walk the track in the morning and we'll make a decision.

Brian Meehan, trainer of Law Of Design
He won on soft last time, so we're not overly worried about the ground. He worked very well this week and we've got high hopes for him.

Charlie Fellowes, trainer of Luther
He's by Frankel, and they definitely go on the soft, and out of a mare who was proven on good to soft. It's not ideal and I don't think anyone with a runner in the race wanted this weather, but my gut feeling is he'll handle it better than others. I'd be happier if it was over seven furlongs, but it's a mile and it's going to be a proper stamina test. We have the Lagardere next weekend as a back-up option and I do like the idea of seven furlongs at Longchamp for him. I'll probably walk the track in the morning and make a call then.

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Puppet Master
He handled soft ground well when winning at Galway and we were very happy with him. He seems to be in good form.

James Owen, trainer of Wimbledon Hawkeye
We couldn’t be happier with him. He came up to the Rowley Mile for a gallop the other day and should enjoy the step up in trip. We don’t know about the ground, but that's the case for just about everything in the race.
Reporting by Andrew Dietz

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