King on weather watch for Trueshan’s Long Distance Cup defence

Alan King may wait for the Prix Royal-Oak at ParisLongchamp should the Ascot ground not turn in favour of Trueshan.

The crack stayer needs plenty of cut underfoot if he is to run in the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup at the weekend.

His defence of the Group Two prize he won last year will depend on the weather, with a dry early part of the week forecast before showers from Thursday.

King said: “The plan is to run him at Ascot, but I am a wee bit concerned looking at the forecast, to be honest.

“He is in good form, but we will need rain and I do have the option of waiting for the Royal-Oak the following week, in which we’d almost certainly get soft ground, if we have to wait.

“I do want to go to Ascot, but we do need a break in the weather.”

Winner of both the Goodwood Cup and Prix du Cadran last season, the Barbury Castle handler has been frustrated by a dry summer for his stable star, with the six-year-old running just three times on turf.

Though beaten a neck by Coltrane when long odds-on in the Doncaster Cup when last seen, King reports him in fine fettle.

“He’s all going very well. He’s had a good break since Doncaster and he’s fresh and well, but I will want soft ground (to run at Ascot).”