William Haggas is considering trying Sacred in headgear as she bids for Group One glory in the Juddmonte Cheveley Park at Newmarket on Saturday.
The daughter of Exceed And Excel made a winning debut at Nemarket in June and has finished second in last three starts, the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot, York's Sky Bet Lowther Stakes and the Bombardier Flying Childers at Doncaster.
Speaking on Paddy Power Media’s podcast, From The Horse’s Mouth, the trainer said: "She’ll definitely run and we may put a bit of headgear on her. She's been beaten three times now – I thought the last time she nearly came to win.
"We can make lots of excuses for her in the circumstances – ground at York and inexperience at Ascot, but at Doncaster although she raced away from them and had to go earlier than we had planned, I just wondered whether she worked fully through it so I think we’re going to put some cheekpieces on her.
"I’m sure she’ll get the trip well. If it’s quick ground she’ll run a good race – she’s a pretty good filly that, we’ll see.
The handler has a strong hand in the bet365 Cambridgeshire too and favourite Sinjaari is firmly on target for the heritage handicap.
When asked for his running plans he said: "Sinjaari for sure – he’s definitely going to run, Montatham might do. There’s no Silver Cambridgeshire this year so he’ll definitely get in and it will depend on the weight range. If the weight range is very narrow - he’s 109 very few horses win off 109 in the Cambridgeshire, but if the bottom weight is 99, then it certainly will be considered.
"Johan is going to be left in but he’ll have a 6lb penalty for winning, or 4lb I don’t know what the penalty is, 5 maybe for winning a short bonk at Ayr on Saturday so he’s unlikely but he wants rain so any rain will suit him and it’s going to come – so we’re just leaving him in as an option.
"Ilaraab won off 90 and he’s pretty unlikely to get in* but he’s a pretty smart horse, he’d be dangerous if he got in with his penalty. But again he’s better with cut in the ground – so we've got a few balls in the air – it’s a relatively valuable race during COVID times so let’s give it a go."
*The podcast was recorded before the six-day entries and Ilaraab will get in the race.
