Coral Island running in the 14:30 at Goodwood for second club start

The picturesque setting of Goodwood is the venue this afternoon as Coral Island makes her second start for the Coral Champions Club in the Docker Hughes Maiden Auction Stakes at 2:30pm.

After a successful winter with jump horses Template and Bon Chic, the club took the plunge in early May and purchased a Flat horse for the first time. Coral Island made her debut for the club in a juvenile maiden over six furlongs in late September at Kempton and although she finished down the field on that occasion, hopes are high that she has learned from that initial experience. The team at Robin Farm have always liked the filly, and are confident that she will be more competitive today.

Assistant trainer Hetta Stevens said: “Coral Island has come on a lot for her first run, mentally and physically. She was obviously tardy leaving the starting stalls in her racecourse debut so we have been schooling her at home and she has made a big improvement. We are expecting to see a better placing on Sunday as this time she should be well positioned early in the race rather than playing catch up.”

Her current price of 66/1 would suggest otherwise, but odds are simply the opinion of others and connections are hopeful she can outrun that price.

Club representative: “We’d be disappointed if Coral Island didn’t show more today. Jim Crowley who rode her at Kempton was very complementary after the race and felt she would come on a lot for that run. The team at Robins Farm have schooled her through the starting stalls and the feeling is that we’ll see a different start today. She’ll certainly need to be a lot smarter from the gate if she is to live with the likes of Canford Lilli and Yosemite but we are hopeful she can be more competitive.”