stoute hopeful over conduit

Sir Michael Stoute was the last of the European trainers to surface at Santa Anita as he put his two Breeders' Cup runners Conduit and Visit through their paces on Thursday morning.

Ladbrokes St Leger hero Conduit was whinnying as he left the quarantine barn under Ryan Moore and the colt then simply breezed on the main track.

Afterwards Stoute pronounced his satisfaction with the way things had gone, and of Breeders' Cup Turf hope Conduit the trainer said: "He set off at the mile pole and breezed through the straight.

"I'm hoping that I've done the right thing bringing him back to a mile and a half but I see no reason why he can't be competitive.

"He won over a mile and a quarter in very impressive fashion at Epsom, and although that was a handicap it demonstrates that he has the speed for shorter distances.

"I thought he was effective over a mile and a half but things didn't work out for him ideally in the Gordon Stakes."

Visit cantered over six furlongs and after running in Friday's Filly & Mare Turf will remain in the States under the care of Bobby Frankel.

Stoute observed: "As she was going to Bobby we thought we'd take this race in. After the Sun Chariot we thought we would stretch her further than a mile. She's only had three races this year and is a fresh filly."