MIDDAY HANDED INTERNATIONAL MISSION

Sir Henry Cecil's multiple Group One-winning mare Midday is an intended runner in the Juddmonte International at York on Wednesday.

The five-year-old secured her sixth victory at the highest level with a superb performance in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood at the end of July, her third straight success in the 10-furlong prize.

She still has the option of going for back-to-back victories in Wednesday's Yorkshire Oaks on the Knavesmire but Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner Khalid Abdullah, has revealed she is likely to join stablemate Twice Over in the International.

It is a race Abdullah, owner of Juddmonte Farms, would love to win for the first time for obvious reasons.

Grimthorpe said: "Midday will be left in the Yorkshire Oaks but she is an intended runner in the Juddmonte. The plan would be to run her and Twice Over in the race. Tom Queally will probably ride Midday and Ian Mongan would then be on Twice Over. That is not confirmed yet but it's the likely scenario.

"Midday won the (Yorkshire) Oaks last year and it's a wonderful race, but obviously the Juddmonte is very important."

Cecil declared his delight after seeing both Midday and Twice Over being put through their paces on Wednesday morning.

He said: "There is a chance that Twice Over and Midday will both contest the Juddmonte International. Twice Over definitely goes for the race. Midday is also entered in the Yorkshire Oaks but hopefully, if we are happy with her wellbeing, we will be more likely to give the owner a double representation in his own race, which he would dearly love to win for the first time.

"It was nice to see Twice Over come back to himself last time at York. He is working well. I was very pleased with them both this morning as Midday also worked very nicely."

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