Trainer Karl Burke has high hopes for El Caballo ahead of the feature Coral Proud To Support British Racing Conditions Stakes (5.00pm) at Wolverhampton on Saturday, December 4.
The six-furlong contest is a Fast-Track Qualifier, with the winner guaranteed a place in the £150,000 Coral All-Weather Three-Year-Old Championships at Newcastle on Finals Day.
El Caballo returns from a lengthy break having shown the makings of a smart colt earlier in the season. The son of Havana Gold was second to subsequent Group 1 performer Armor at Doncaster in April before a comfortable success in a Carlisle novice race the following month.
Burke said: “We are very happy with El Caballo. His work has been very good and he is ready to run.
“He is a high-class horse who had a setback earlier in the season. He is fully over that now and has been back in full work for a couple of months.
“From what he shows at home, I would say he is a Stakes performer in the making. He is a very nice horse who has always worked well. He does all his fast work on the Polytrack here at Middleham, so the All-Weather should not be a problem.
“The aim is to get him qualified for Finals Day and we would certainly look to give him another run in a qualifier if he doesn’t win on Saturday.”
Four-time winner Navello has competed at Stakes level on three occasions for George Boughey, including a third in the Listed National Stakes at Sandown Park. He is unbeaten in two starts at Wolverhampton, latterly taking a five-furlong nursery handicap on November 23.
Dynamic Force is rated highly by trainer Robert Cowell and made an impressive debut at Ayr in July. He has not replicated that form in three subsequent appearances, most recently coming home third in a novice race at Chelmsford City in late October.
Roger Teal’s runner Dakota Power has raced exclusively on the All-Weather, winning at Wolverhampton on his second outing before finishing third under a penalty at the same course on November 13.
