Roger Teal considering Group-race options for Portland winner Oxted

Roger Teal is eyeing a step into Group company for Saturday’s impressive Portland Handicap winner Oxted, with the John Guest Racing Bengough Stakes at Ascot on October 5 a potential next target.

The improving three-year-old registered the biggest win of his career on St Leger day at Doncaster and Teal already has high hopes for what he might achieve at four.

"There's a Group 3 [Bengough Stakes] over six furlongs in a couple of weeks' time but Saturday would probably have taken a fair bit out of him so it's only a possibility at the moment," said Teal.

"He's rated 109 now, so that puts us out of handicaps, but I just want to see where we are with him before making plans."

After a positive year, Teal is just two winners away from his personal best tally of 17 winners on the Flat and took particular satisfaction in Saturday's big handicap success.

"He'd started to shine in his work so we were pretty hopeful," reflected the Berkshire trainer. "When we got the draw I was really happy but I started panicking when I looked at the stats for three-year-olds. It was an amazing day in the end.

"He's still a baby and only a frame at the moment. He's worth giving a chance to and I think he could be seriously nice next year. I just want keep everyone's feet on the ground."

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