Williams ponders Goodwood Cup bid with Enemy


High-class handicapper Enemy is under consideration for the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup on Tuesday.

A fruitful winter campaign yielded a valuable handicap win in Dubai followed by a lucrative runner-up effort in the Group Three Red Sea Turf Handicap at Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.

Trainer Ian Williams gave the six-year-old a rest following a couple of below-par runs upon his return to Britain and could bring him back to the track next week if conditions are suitable.

“Plans are pretty fluid at the moment,” said Williams.

“He could go to the Goodwood Cup. We’ve spent the money to confirm him, so it is not beyond the realms of possibility.

“He probably will, if the ground is fast, go to Goodwood on Tuesday.”

With conditions at Goodwood currently on the softer side, Enemy does hold a couple of alternative August entries at York in the Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup and the Sky Bet Ebor, in which he finished 14th last season.

Williams already has one eye on further international assignments further down the line, too.

He added: “He has had a little mid-season break and we are just keeping our options open in the autumn before he travels again in the winter.

“I would imagine he will go to Dubai and we’d like to go to Riyadh again. It all depends if he is rated high enough to get in to return to Saudi.

“He is a possible for the Ebor, it depends where he is weights-wise. If he runs well at Goodwood and goes up a little, then no. If he doesn’t, he will be fairly handicapped like he was last year.”

Enemy was last seen in action at Sandown in May, where he finished last of five behind Robert Escobarr after being well supported for the Group Two Henry II Stakes.

“He was a little disappointing at Sandown, but he’d had a tough time,” said Williams.

“His last two runs were disappointing to be fair. He hadn’t been at his best and was probably crying out for a break.

“He had a decent time in Dubai and a tough time in Saudi, so he hadn’t been at his best since Saudi.”



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