Even Dozen for Choisir
6th June 2007
Champion sprinter Choisir posted his 12th individual winner in the Northern Hemisphere at Ripon in England on Tuesday when two year-old colt Roker Park (2c Choisir - Joyful, by Green Desert) scored on debut.
He settled off the pace in the five furlong maiden before switching around the leaders and going on to win comfortably by two lengths for the Karl Burke stable.
"He's been showing plenty at home for the last six weeks and is a decent horse. I suppose we should be thinking about Royal Ascot," said Burke
Bred by Dean Harron and purchased for 36,000 euros at the Goffs November Weanling Sale, Roker Park is from the Green Desert mare Joyful.
With 12 winners in the Northern Hemisphere and eight from his first Australian crop, which includes winners in South Africa and New Zealand, Choisir is doing an outstanding job and will return to Coolmore Australia this spring at a fee of $33,000.
Meanwhile trainer Jamie Osborne is hopeful of a victory at Royal Ascot with his Choisir colt Group Therapy (2c Choisir-Licence To Thrill, by Wolfhound). "His short-head defeat last time means he avoids a penalty for the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes, in which I expect him to prove a major contender," Osborne told the Racing Post Weekender. "Fast ground at Ascot would be very much to his liking and, as he likes to bowl from the gate, we'll be hoping for a low draw. It's not impossible that he'll be declared for the G2 Norfolk Stakes later in the week."