Pacemaker the key to Ribchester plans

Godolphin's Ribchester delighted trainer Richard Fahey with an encouraging third in the G1 Dubai Turf at Meydan on Saturday but whether he steps up to 10 furlongs in the immediate future depends on his capacity for learning to settle in his races.

In an attempt to achieve this, Godolphin have transferred Toscanini to Fahey, from Michael Halford in Ireland, to take on a pacemaking role.

"His problem is that he goes from 0 to 35 mph in four strides at the start of his races," Fahey explained.

"He has been doing it all his life. We will see how helpful it is to have a pacemaker in his races.

"For the time being, the plan is to go for the G1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury in May, and that will determine whether it is then the G1 Queen Anne Stakes, over one mile at Royal Ascot, or the G1 Prince Of Wales, over a mile and a quarter, in the same week," Fahey said.

Ribchester, by Iffraaj, is a G1 winner over one mile, he landed last year's Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville.