Sergeant Cecil, part duex

[my miss storm cat]

I have a good idea..... here's thread where anyone who wants to discuss Cecil can do so.

Let's stay on topic this time and bid a somber farewell to the other.

Either that or I start deleting.

Adieu.

[NoChanceToDance]

Thank you very much, mmsc.

I don't like being threatened.

Anyway, i really hope this fella is pointed towards the Irish St Leger, sure, it will be a hard race, but this horse is a superstar to come from being a low grade handicapper to a proven group class performer.

He is one of my favourite in the game, and i will be following him all year.

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by NoChanceToDance

I don't like being threatened.

Yeah neither do i.

Let's stay on topic now.

From Racing post.....

Next stop Gold Cup for Cecil

by David Lawrence


STAR stayer Sergeant Cecil will have his next outing in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot on June 21.

Connections of last week's Yorkshire Cup winner had been considering a crack at Epsom's Coronation Cup on June 1, but trainer Rod Millman revealed on Sunday that that race has now definitely been struck off the eight-year-old's agenda.

Millman said: "We've decided to wait for the Gold Cup and, although we're keen to try 'Cecil' over a mile and half at the top level this season, plans for that will have to wait until after Ascot."

Millman added:"He's come back from York in great form, which isn't surprising considering that he won with a bit to spare, but we're going to give him an easy time for a couple of weeks.

"We want him at his very best when he takes on Yeats in the Gold Cup and thereare plenty of races for him after Ascot, including the Goodwood Cup, the Lonsdale Cup, the Irish St Leger and the Prix du Cadran at Longchamp on Arc day.

"We may also think about going overseas with him later on, but we're not going to sacrifice races closer to home before we get to that stage and there are quite a few options for him in England, Ireland and France.

"Which target we choose for him to try a mile and a half will depend on how the opportunities fit in and how the races look to be shaping up."

Rising Cross, seventh behind Sergeant Cecil in the Yorkshire Cup, is set to drop back in distance to contest the Coronation Cup.

Connections of last year's Oaks runner-up believe she will improve for the her effort over 1m 6f at York, as it was her first outing for 208 days.

Trainer John Best said on Sunday: "She was going easily two furlongs from home, but just seemed to get a bit tired in the closing stages.

"She's come back from York in excellent form, is sure to improve for the race, and will go to Epsom next."

[brockguy]

he should be given a chance in a G1 over 12f. If there was a guarantee of a fast pace, he would certainly put up a very respectable showing at least.... Irish St Leger could be a great target..

[NoChanceToDance]

Sergeant set to return to Ascot



by Andrew Scutts


SERGEANT CECIL could bid to put a disappointing run in the Ascot Gold Cup behind him in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at the same course later this month.

Though stressing that "no decision has been made yet", trainer Rod Millman said on Sunday that the eight-year-old would be left in at the five-day stage for Europe's mid-summer highlight.

"He's very well and is a good horse at whatever trip he tackles, it's just that he's capable of running the odd stinker," said Millman.

"His homework has been good since Ascot, where there was no particular reason for his performance. Things did not work out, that's all. He had run a couple of races like it before."
Sergeant Cecil finished last of 14, beaten 60 lengths, behind Yeats last time, but he had previously won the Yorkshire Cup over 1m6f.

The 2005 ROA/Racing Post Horse of the Year has kickstarted his last two campaigns over 1m4f in the John Porter Stakes at Newbury, and has won over the King George trip at Ascot.

The key factor in whether Millman and owner Terry Cooper opt to run in the King George, for which Sergeant Cecil is a general 66-1 chance, could well be the likely number of runners.

With prize-money in the Ascot showpiece down to sixth, last year all the runners in the King George went home with a share of the £750,000 pot.

[my miss storm cat]

Nice news.....

[my miss storm cat]

Sporting Life.....

SERGEANT UP FOR THE CUP


By PA Sport Staff

Sergeant Cecil will bid for back-to-back victories in the GNER Doncaster Cup on Friday.

Rod Millman's popular eight-year-old is on something of a recovery mission after a subdued display in the Lonsdale Cup when he came home 10 lengths behind Septimus.

"The plan is to run and the Lonsdale should have him pretty much spot-on," said Millman.

"The ground was a bit dead at York and with that (Group One) penalty, it was always going to be tough.

"I'm pretty confident I've got him back to his best for Doncaster though."

Sergeant Cecil is one of 13 six-day entries for the two-mile-two-furlong Doncaster Cup.

Aidan O'Brien's Septimus is also engaged, while Dermot Weld's Bellamy Cay may also make the trip across from Ireland.

Goodwood Cup winner Allegretto and Distinction could represent Sir Michael Stoute.

Geordieland could be given the chance for redemption after finishing fifth to Allegretto at Goodwood, while the list is completed by Baddam, Bulwark, Balkan Knight, Finalmente, Juniper Girl, Kasthari and Land 'N Stars.

[my miss storm cat]

Ah well... it's better this way.

Have a nice break, good boy.

Racing Post.....


Sergeant Cecil will not run again this season

by Keith Hamer


SERGEANT CECIL will not run again this season as he continues to recover from a lung infection.

The popular stayer scoped badly after finishing fifth in the Lonsdale Cup at York last month and was found to be not quite right in a follow-up examination.

The eight-year-old was missing from the final declarations for the GNER Doncaster Cup on Friday and will now go to Paradise Farm Stud at Blandford in Dorset for a well-earned rest.

"He didn't scope right so we've decided to give him a break for the season," said trainer Rod Millman.

"He didn't scope well after the Lonsdale and unfortunately he hasn't recovered sufficiently to let him take part this week.

"He's going home to Neville Poole's Paradise Farm Stud where he always goes for the winter and we'll see how he is inJanuary.

"He ran at York but he blew afterwards and we scoped him and found he wasn't quite right. We treated it but it's not been enough time to get him right for Doncaster.
"To be in the grade he's in and over that distance he has tobe spot on. His latest scope was better than it was at York but not really good enough to let him take his chance.

"It's a shame, but we didn't want to run him and risk damaging him.

"I don't think he'd have done himself justice.

"He's obviouslygoing to be nine next year but old Persian Punch went on for a long time."

Sergeant Cecil has been in the public's affections since becoming the first horse to win the Northumberland Plate, Ebor and Cesarewitch in the same season in 2005.

He successfully made the transition to Pattern races and won the Group One Prix du Cadran last October.

The King's Signet gelding has won 10 of his 49 races and amassed £822,000 in prize money.

[my miss storm cat]

Thanks for the memories, good boy.

HAPPY RETIREMENT!

http://www.sportinglife.com/racing/n...ING_Cecil.html

[my miss storm cat]

From Racing post...

Cecil may make surprise return to training
By Jon Lees

SERGEANT CECIL, who retired last year after a remarkable career, could make a surprise return to racing after joining the stable of William Knight.
The horse, trained by Rod Millman to complete the unprecedented handicap treble of the Cesarewitch, Ebor and Northumberland Plate in 2005, was retired last summer after finishing last in the Goodwood Cup.
However, after seven months off, owner Terry Cooper has sent the ten-year-old to Knight's yard, although there are no immediate plans to run him.
Knight said on Monday: "He is just doing light cantering now and we are taking each day as it comes. We'll take it very gradually, and if he seems to be happy and in good form, then we might consider giving him a run."