Ollie Sangster is optimistic that Shuwari, whose intended crack at the Qipco 1000 Guineas was ruined by a setback, will be able to make her mark in the second half of the season.
The Fillies' Mile runner-up will not be able to return to Newmarket on May 5 for a chance at Classic Glory, according to the Manton handler who made the announcement last month. The New Bay daughter will miss the first part of the upcoming campaign due to injury.
But there's a lot of hope that she'll return later in the summer to participate in a lot of important assignments.
“She’s OK and she will hopefully be back for the second half of the season,” said Sangster. “There are no immediate plans and we will make a bit more of a plan in a couple of months, I would say it would be July onwards (when she is back). She’s fine and a good patient and she will be back. She is a filly who will probably stay in training next season anyway, but it is a shame to miss the Guineas, a shame for the yard and owners, but she will have plenty of nice targets later on.”
Sangster also believes that the gifted three-year-old colt Per Contra, owned by Wathnan Racing, still has potential and is expected to build on his triumphant but low-key return at Wolverhampton.
“He ran really well at Wolverhampton having been off for a while,” continued Sangster. He’s gone up to 92 and hopefully, he will be a horse who will have a nice pot in him somewhere this season. He should keep improving and he wouldn’t have been best suited by Wolverhampton really. He’ll improve as the year goes on and for running on a nice galloping track, so hopefully 92 isn’t the bottom of him.”