Celestial Orbit will miss her planned start in the May Hill Stakes
Star Stakes winner Celestial Orbit will miss her planned start in the May Hill Stakes.
Trained by Ollie Sangster, the rapidly improving daughter of No Nay Never advanced impressively from her novice win at Haydock to claim Listed honours at Sandown last month, winning comfortably under Jamie Spencer.
Connections had aimed to step her up to both a mile and Group company at Doncaster next month, but those plans are now on hold due to a minor setback.
Sangster explained that Celestial Orbit is okay but has encountered a minor setback. She was scheduled to run in the May Hill Stakes but will not make that race. The plan might shift to the end of the season, depending on how she progresses over the next few weeks.
Although Celestial Orbit will miss the Doncaster target, Sangster remains hopeful for her return later in the season but will assess her condition over the coming weeks before making further plans.
Sangster expressed confidence in Celestial Orbit's future, saying, “If she doesn’t run again this season, I wouldn’t be too concerned. Jamie believes she has a great temperament and will likely improve next year. She’s a well-sized filly with plenty of scope and should continue to develop.”
Despite the disappointing news about Celestial Orbit, there is more encouraging news about Shuwari, who is recovering well from her own setback that has kept her out of action this season.
Originally considered a potential 1000 Guineas contender after a strong two-year-old campaign, Shuwari has shown signs of recovery and is progressing well in her rehabilitation.
Sangster noted, “Shuwari is doing well and has been back in work for a couple of weeks. She’s moving well and looks great. While we’re still determining her return timeline, it’s unlikely she’ll make it back for the end of the turf season. We’re taking things step by step, and she’s responding well to her training.”
He added, “We won’t rush her for any specific race. We’ll let her progress at her own pace and avoid setting a target that could lead to rushing her. If she’s ready in time for a race, that’s great; if not, we’ll focus on her return next season.”