Kevin Prendergast is lining up Madhmoon for the Qipco 2000 Guineas after a narrow defeat at Leopardstown last Saturday.
The three-year-old colt was backed to win the 2,000 Guineas Trial on his return to action given that he triumphed in each of his two starts as a juvenile last term, including a Group Two success on Irish Champions Weekend.
However, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Never No More used his added fitness from winning last month’s Madrid Handicap at Naas to edge out Madhmoon in the race.
However, that has not put off Prendergast, who expects Madhmoon to improve on a quicker surface at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile on May 4.
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He said: “He’s come out of the race well and he’ll go wherever the ground is more suitable, which will probably be Newmarket. “The ground was very soft the other day, and he was beaten by a race-fit horse. “Our horse will come on for the run, and his two runs last year were on fast ground – which suits him much better. “He’s a possible for Newmarket.
If the ground isn’t right, or we feel he wants more time, we could wait for the Irish Guineas – that’s the story.”
