GB: Australian trainer Troy Corstens will be able to tick off an item on his bucket list when The Astrologist contests the 1895 Duke of York Clipper Stakes at York on Wednesday [May 17].
In tackling the G2 contest, the six-year-old gelding will become the first UK-runner for ‘Team Corstens’ – co-trainers Troy and his father Leon, who are based at Flemington in Melbourne.
The Astrologist is racing in the northern hemisphere this summer, having finished a close runner-up in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup night at Meydan.
Along with the Corstens’ assistant trainer Dominic Sutton, he has spent the last month in Newmarket at the stables of Marco Botti.
Now connections are ready to launch the Aussie sprinter’s European campaign in the £145,000 event as the annual three-day Dante Festival gets under way on the Knavesmire.
The six-furlong Duke of York comes ahead of a tilt at the newly named Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (former Platinum Jubilee) at Royal Ascot, after which Bennett Racing-owned The Astrologist is likely to take in either the July Cup at Newmarket or the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing him run first up at York,” said Troy Corstens. “I think he’ll run a super race if we get the track conditions to suit. It’s always been on my bucket list to have a runner over there and I’m very excited.
“Originally the UK trip was sort of pie-in-the-sky stuff and we booked in to go to Dubai for World Cup night. And he ran so well at World Cup night, Nick Smith [Ascot director of racing] was speaking to us and just said: ‘Would you be interested in coming over?’
“We talked about it and after he ran so well, we thought let’s hit the ‘go’ button and head over. He’s a very good traveller – he travelled a little bit in Australia and really adapted well. He’s just settled in perfectly over in Newmarket.”
Last Friday, connections stepped up their York preparations with a racecourse spin at Newmarket. Jockey Ryan Moore, whom connections are hoping will be available for the race, rode The Astrologist in a piece of exercise with a horse from Botti’s string.
Corstens said: “We specifically wanted to do something a little bit different with him – he had a gallop on the Rowley Mile and he worked particularly well there. We were very pleased with him and it was just what he needed.”
Corstens is planning on flying in a week ahead of Royal Ascot but next Wednesday will be closely monitoring The Astrologist’s first start on English soil.
“We were very keen to get a run into him before the Platinum Jubilee and the race at York is just an absolute perfect one for him,” he said. “He loves the straight track here at Flemington. As much as I haven’t seen York, I’m told that it’s a beautiful track and the 1200 (metre) straight race should really suit him. He doesn’t thrive on heavy ground – he doesn’t mind it soft."
The Astrologist was one of 34 horses to remain in the Duke of York at Thursday’s latest forfeit stage. Among the runners still in the entry are proven G1 star and defending champion Highfield Princess plus fellow G1 scorers Oxted and Emaraaty Ana.
• Visit the York Dante Festival website and the Corstens Stable website
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