Henry Cecil heads for Newmarket

Henry Cecil leaves his sickbed for racecourse on Saturday when he goes racing at his home meeting of Newmarket for the first time since leaving hospital.

Typically, there are no half measures with the 10-times champion trainer, who is pitching at the highest level with his classy fillies Love Divine and Shiva in the Dubai Champion Stakes and Vacamonte in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes.

Cecil was in bed at Warren Place on Thursdaywhen Sacred Song won the first race at Newmarket. His assistant Harry Dunlop, son of Arundel trainer John Dunlop, said: “Henry is at home but hopes to be here for Love Divine, Shiva and Vacamonte tomorrow. He will be thrilled with Sacred Song’s win.

“Vacamonte has been working very well and we have beenfishing for excuses for his disappointing run behind King’s Ironbridge at Sandown and haven’t found an answer,” added Dunlop.

Cecil, whose season has been blighted by respiratory problems with his horses, was in hospital for two and a half weekswith a crushed vertebrae. But he has since been supervising his string on the gallops and has been to the sales at Newmarket this week.

Dunlop added: “We are hoping they will all run big races. A Group 1 winner will be a big tonic for him.”

Irish jockey Mick Kinane has elected to partner Aidan O’Brien’s course- winner Mozart in the Dewhurst Stakes. Originally, Kinane had intended to team up with Minardi, but the colt was found to coughing and has been pulled out. O’Brien will be three-handed in the race and also runs Cashel Palace and Freud.