Early in the season, Bucanero Fuerte will be campaigned as a sprinter with connections foregoing a chance at the Qipco 2000 Guineas in favour of going to the Royal Ascot Trials day on Wednesday.
The Wootton Bassett son of Adrian Murray was an excellent juvenile last year, winning three of his five starts and handily defeating his rivals in the Phoenix Stakes to earn owners Amo Racing their first Group One victory.
After he was pushed to seven furlongs for the Vincent O'Brien National Stakes in his last start at two, he was somewhat exposed, and his team is now restraining themselves from going to an early-season Classic over a mile, despite his success over shorter distances.
He is set to return to the scene of his excellent Coventry Stakes third for the Group Three Ascot Commonwealth Cup Trial Stakes, also called the Pavilion Stakes which serves as the ideal preparation race for three-year-old sprinters hoping to return for the Royal meeting.
Murray said: “Bucanero goes to Ascot, he’s in the six-furlong race. It’s highly unlikely he will go for the Guineas. “We’re going to campaign him as a sprinter, his brother (Wooded) won a Group One over five furlongs and he shows us an awful lot of speed. The Guineas could just kill him in the last couple of furlongs.”
Meanwhile, the next location of the impressive All-Weather Championships Finals Day scorer Elegant Man may depend on running plans for Amo Racing's star performer, King Of Steel.
After making all in Newcastle's Easter Classic, the Arrogate son shone in handicap company and will now make his next start in Group One.
“He will be going for the Tattersalls Gold Cup or the Coronation Cup at Epsom,” continued Murray. “It will depend on where they go with King Of Steel as he’s in the two of them and we will be avoiding him. Whichever he doesn’t go for, we would go for. Kia (Joorabchian, owner) has a good hand and some nice horses. We’ve got a great summer to hopefully look forward to.”