Ottoman Emperor heading straight for Doncaster

Johnny Murtagh has confirmed Ottoman Emperor will be heading straight for September's St Leger at Doncaster following his exploits at Goodwood last week.

The impressive three-year-old made it four wins on the spin by triumphing in last Thursday's Gordon Stakes at the Qatar Goodwood Festival and is now being talked up as a leading contender for the final Classic of the season.

Murtagh has never won the St Leger, as a jockey or trainer, and he has now confirmed Ottoman Emperor will have no supplementing races ahead of the Classic, which is due to take place on September 11.

Murtagh said: "He's a very relaxed horse and he's quite lazy in the early part of his races so that gives him every chance of staying the St Leger trip.

"He'll head straight there now. He's been busy so he won't run again before then and we'll freshen him up for it."

Nunthorpe plan confirmed for Golden Pal

Wesley Ward has confirmed star sprinter Golden Pal will be heading back to the UK for this month's Nunthorpe Stakes at York.

Last season's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner made a triumphant reappearance in the Grade Three Quick Call Stakes at Saratoga last month and trainer Ward has now confirmed he will next be heading to the Knavesmire, with Frankie Dettori likely to be in the saddle.

He said: "He had an unbelievable breeze on Saturday at Arlington Park and we're headed for the Nunthorpe."

Golden Pal was last seen on British soil finishing second to The Lir Jet in last year's Group Two Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Walker hoping Primo Bacio delivers at Deauville

Trainer Ed Walker is hopeful the "massively exciting" Primo Bacio can deliver another impressive display in the Group One Prix Rothschild at Deauville on Tuesday.

The horse followed up a victory in the Listed Oaks Farm Stables Fillies' Stakes at York in May by finishing a respectable fifth in the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket last month.

Two of the horses that finished just in front of the exciting filly that day, Alcohol Free and Lady Bowthorpe, went on to claim Group One successes at Goodwood last week, while another, Mother Earth, was a winner of the Qipco 1000 Guineas back in May.

Walker now feels Tuesday could signal Primo Bacio's turn to claim a victory at the highest level. 

He said: "I'm very hopeful. She's only had three runs this year, and the only time she had an uninterrupted passage she absolutely trotted up.

"She is massively exciting, and she's in great form."

Options open for Milkwood

Connections of Milkwood are keeping their options open, with trainer Neil Mulholland confirming races over hurdles, fences and on the flat are all being considered.

Milkwood returned to race action for the first time since winning the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr in April, by delivering a strong performance when finishing second to the Willie Mullins-trained Saldier in last week's Galway Hurdle.

Mulholland has now confirmed the dust will be allowed to settle before a decision is made on Milkwood's next move, with the Somerset-based trainer confirming he will hold talks with the seven-year-old's owner over the coming days, with all options currently remaining on the table. 

He said: "We'll speak to the owner later in the week and see where we're going to go from here. There are so many options."