Deauville race is next for Charlie Johnston’s Lazy Griff

A Listed race at Deauville is next for Charlie Johnston’s Lazy Griff this weekend.

The German-bred colt by the late sire Protectionist made an inexperienced debut at Doncaster in mid-June, finishing a length and a half behind Hugo Palmer’s Wolf Of Badenoch. His subsequent run was in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot, where he finished 12th out of 15, starting at 28-1 with James Doyle riding for Middleham Park Racing.

In his next race at Beverley, Lazy Griff took part in a seven-and-a-half-furlong novice contest, where he led from the start and secured victory by half a length.

On the same day, Wolf Of Badenoch ran in the Group Two Vintage Stakes at Goodwood, finishing second to Godolphin’s Aomori City. This result bolstered the form of Lazy Griff’s Doncaster race.

Now, Lazy Griff is set for a Listed challenge at Deauville in the Criterium du Fonds Européen de l’Élevage over a mile.

Johnston commented, “He’ll be running in a Listed race at Deauville on Saturday, which is a step-up in class from what he’s faced so far. The form from his previous races looks strong, and we’ve always been confident in his abilities. We entered him in the Chesham to show our belief that he could be competitive in black-type races. This race at Deauville seems like a fitting next step for him.”