Surprised is set to bid to keep the Tote Portland Handicap in the family after landing his biggest win to date at Goodwood.
Next month`s valuable Doncaster event was today nominated as a likely target for the late-maturing five-year-old, the latest big winner to emerge
from owner/breeder David Brotherton`s veritable sprint dynasty.
He gained the richest win of his career in Saturday`s Stg#30,000-added ladbrokes.co.uk Stakes at Goodwood and could now aim to repeat last year`s
victory by half-brother Astonished in the Portland.
'Surprised is fine this morning,' trainer Richard Fahey reported. 'He`ll probably go for the Portland, though he`s not certain to get in.'
Other useful sprinters Brotherton has bred out of Surprised`s dam Indigo include Bishops Court and Surprise Mission.
'Of all the family Surprised was the biggest and he`s taken the longest to come to hand,' Fahey added.
The North Yorkshire trainer has a bigger sprint target lined up for Superior Premium, who will have his first race since winning the Cork And Orrery
Stakes at Royal Ascot in the Group One Prix de l`Abbaye at Longchamp in October.
'He just had a minor setback and he had to have antibiotics,' Fahey revealed.
'He is back cantering and there is no problem. He will probably go straight for the Abbaye and then hopefully he will get an invitation to Hong
Kong.'
Last Wednesday`s Tote Ebor 12th Inch Perfect is set to return for a Stg#25,000-added 0-95 handicap over the same course and distance next
Sunday.
