Parish Hall. Picture: Steve Parsons/PA Archive
By Simon Jackson, London24’s horse racing correspondent
Saturday, June 30, 2012
8:42 AM
Horse Talk: Top horse-racing tips and the latest news
Dewhurst winner Parish Hall is set to make his belated reappearance in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on July 21, trainer Jim Bolger has revealed.
The Teofilo colt was last seen when landing the Group 1 Dubai Dewhurst Stakes in October. He was set to return in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in May, only to miss the race because of unsuitable ground.
An audacious bid to land the Abu Dhabi Irish 2000 Guineas and Investec Derby was then scuppered when the colt was found to have filling in his leg on the morning of the Irish Classic and was forced to miss both races.
“It was a massive infection,” Bolger said. “It blew up so quickly that we knew it had to be quite serious. He needed some rest and is back doing light exercise again now but we have to keep monitoring it to make sure that his tendon wasn’t permanently damaged in any way.
“So far so good and he is scanning good too but there’s a way to go. He’ll need at least four weeks of work before we are ready again.
“Ideally, I’d like to bring him back for the King George at Ascot and there is the Juddmonte at York or the Champion Stakes to consider, too.
“He is an honest work horse and I think I would be able to get him fairly fit at home, with a racecourse gallop or two. That wouldn’t be a problem.”
Parish Hall is best priced at 14-1 with Paddy Power for the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, where the betting is headed by St Nicholas Abbey at 9-4.