Wednesday, 17 August 2011: Trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam's revival can continue when Al Khan takes on a host of unknown quantities in the Acomb Stakes at York.
 | Peter Chapple-Hyam
Photo by Racing and Sports | |
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The popular Chapple-Hyam is operating at a fraction of the scale of his 1990s success when classic success was commonplace but he in a purple patch at present with three winners and others running well over the last week.
Al Khan 
collected a maiden at Doncaster last month but faces well-regarded recent winners Furner's Green,
Balty Boys and Entifaadha in the seven-furlong Group 3 Acomb Stakes.
"It's a very tough race - I wish I'd run him somewhere else really,” Chapple-Hyam, said.
“He's a horse I like a lot and he has improved since Doncaster, but he'll need to as there's going to be no hiding place.
“We have got to find out how good he is."
Furner's Green leads a three-strong team from Aidan O'Brien's stable.
The trainer's son Joseph steered the son of
Dylan Thomas to a three-length defeat of stablemate and Acomb rival
Battle Of Saratoga at Tipperary, with fourth-placed
East Meets West also making the trip.
The young jockey said: "I rode him in his maiden at Tipperary, where he won nicely. He's a nice horse and I'm looking forward to it."
Seamie Heffernan, who takes the mount on Battle Of Saratoga, added: "We've got three nice colts in the race.
“My fellow ran second at Tipperary last time and the horse that Colm O'Donoghue rides (East Meets West) ran in the same race and looked a bit unlucky in third.
“I'd imagine Joseph's horse is the classiest of the three."
Barry Hills, who saddles the final runners of his career this week before handing over his famous Lambourn yard to son Charlie, has
Balty Boys running in the colours of Sir Alex Ferguson.
He collected a maiden at Newbury in fluent style last time.
