Long and the short of it for Barbican

ALAN Bailey saddles Barbican in a Listed race at Kempton today with a long-term plan that his stable star can develop into a Melbourne Cup contender next November.

While Bailey is convinced the three-year-old is continuing to improve, he is worried the mile-and-a-half trip of the Back Or Lay At betdaq.com Wild Flower Stakes may be on the short side.

“He’s well enough in himself and the surface shouldn’t be a problem. He won on his debut on the all-weather at Wolverhampton,” said the Newmarket trainer, who has booked Ryan Moore to ride. “I just wish this race was over two miles, rather than a mile and a half, but this horse is improving all the time. We’ll see if he gets invited to Dubai or not.

“We’ve entered him but you have to wait and see. The Melbourne Cup is towards the end of next year and that will definitely be on the agenda.” Roger Varian expects Laaheb to have come on for his latest run in a similar contest over the course and distance four weeks ago when he was third to Prince Bishop.

That was the five-year-old’s first outing for four months. “I think he has a decent chance. He ran quite satisfactorily on his last start, but he hadn’t run for a long time,” said Varian.

Ralph Beckett reports Ceilidh House in good form, although he admits she has a bit to find to take this Listed event. “It’s her first time on the surface, but I don’t think that’s a negative,” said the Kimpton trainer. “She’s in good shape and this looks a good opportunity for her. Obviously she’s got Laaheb to beat, he’s very smart on his day, and she has a bit to find on official ratings with him. Alan Bailey’s horse [Barbican] is also no slouch, so she will have to pull her finger out if she is to win, but it’s the right slot for her.”

Meanwhile, Australian stars Sepoy and Helmet are set for European campaigns after tackling next year’s Dubai World Cup meeting on 31 March.

Owned by Godolphin founder Sheikh Mohammed, Sepoy has won ten of his 11 races for Darley in Australia, including four Group One events, and is due to run in the Dubai Golden Shaheen over six furlongs on Tapeta. Sepoy will still be under the care of Peter Snowden in Dubai but will carry the blue Godolphin colours before switching to either Saeed bin Suroor or Mahmood Al Zarooni for the European season.

The Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Darley July Cup at Newmarket have been mentioned as early targets. Snowden also trains Helmet, winner of three Group Ones, including the Age Caulfield Guineas as a three-year-old. He too will be prepped in Australia before shipping to Dubai for the UAE Derby, in which he will sport the Godolphin colours. Unplaced on his latest start in the Cox Plate, Helmet will also switch to a Godolphin trainer for the 2012 European season.

l Al Ferof heads nine runners entered for Saturday’s Markel Insurance Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown. Paul Nicholls’ charge was an impressive winner in Grade Two company at Cheltenham on his fencing bow earlier this month and looks likely to be a hot favourite for this weekend’s contest.

Nicky Henderson has two contenders in recent Doncaster winner Eradicate and Sprinter Sacre, who finished third behind Al Ferof in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle last term and would be making his first chase start.

Evan Williams has dual winner Lancetto in contention, while Alan King’s Lidar and the Nick Williams-trained For Non Stop also feature.

Border Station, Megastar and Ultimate are also entered, but Paul Webber has resisted the temptation to run Australia Day after the bold-jumping grey suffered a minor injury last time out.