ROGER TEAL is ready to take the dirt path with sprint king Oxted in Saudi Arabia.
The trainer confirmed they will target the Riyadh Dirt Sprint over six furlongs next month.
Teal had the option of sticking to turf, but that offering is close to seven furlongs which raised stamina doubts for their Group 1 winner.
And he hopes an away day at Wolverhampton will have his July Cup hero in perfect shape before he ships out to the Middle East with son and assistant Harry.
Teal said: “At the moment we’re favouring the dirt, purely because it’s six furlongs.
“The surface is an unknown but it’s a flat six furlongs and I think that’s the way we are going to go.
“The reports are very good about the dirt track and that gives us confidence. There isn’t too much kickback apparently.
“As long as there wasn’t going to be tons of kickback we are going to be happy to run him on it.”
Teal will ponder keeping his star in the Middle East after his run in Saudi with the option of two sprints at World Cup meeting in Dubai.
A trip to Royal Ascot then awaits before the defence of his July Cup crown at Newmarket.
Teal added: “Cieren Fallon will ride him we hope. They get on so well, so whenever we have the chance we like to use him.
“Oxted had a short break after Ascot. He had a month off and he came back looking absolutely tremendous, he’s really blossomed.
“The timing of this race was good for us. We have had enough time to give him a break and then prepare him for the season ahead.
“We can go to Saudi, come back, maybe go to Dubai for World Cup night if things go to plan.
“Then we can then prepare for Ascot and then go for another July Cup.
“But he’s never travelled before so we will be a little bit wiser after the event.”
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