Navigator Shipshape, Says O'brien

Duke Of Marmalade will provide Aidan O'Brien with a 14th success in Group One races this season if justifying favoritism in Saturday's King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot, and there was an ominous warning for his rival trainers yesterday as O'Brien firmed up big-race plans for Glorious Goodwood next week.

O'Brien, who racked up 23 Group One wins in 2001, is on course for a world record of 26 victories at the highest level this year. Goodwood, and the Group One Sussex Stakes next Wednesday, is the target for Henrythenavigator, who was yesterday reported to be in top form, working so well, in fact, that even O'Brien's powerful squad is stretched to provide a suitable galloping companion.

"Henry is a very classy horse, he is going through lead horses like they are going out of fashion. He takes his work so well and likes to have a good companion, but it is difficult to find one to match strides with him," O'Brien said. "We've been happy with him since Ascot and everything is going well ahead of the Sussex Stakes."

Henrythenavigator is responsible for three of O'Brien's Group One wins, having followed up his Newmarket and Curragh 2,000 Guineas double with victory in the St James' Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. Also under orders for Goodwood is another of O'Brien's Classic winners, the Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine, Halfway To Heaven. She steps up in distance for another Group One race, the Nassau Stakes.

"Halfway To Heaven needed a little break after the Curragh, but she's been in good form since and building up," said O'Brien. "She'll be running over a mile and a quarter for the first time but we've been very happy with her."

The British Horseracing Authority yesterday revealed the fixture list for 2009, the first since its strategic review, and hailed it as the "strongest yet". There will be 1,480 meetings, 24 fewer than in 2008, with an effort to enhance the quality of the Sunday racing program. Eight fixtures have been awarded to Britain's newest racecourse, Ffos Las in South Wales, which is set to open next June.

"Most under performing fixtures, including Saturday evenings during the winter and some fixtures on Sunday during the winter, have either been removed or found alternative dates," said Ruth Quinn, the BHA's director of racing.

"With jump racing thriving, more opportunities will be provided by the creation of 11 additional fixtures," added Quinn. "The recommendations from the review that we have been able to implement leaves us in no doubt that British racing's fixture list for 2009 is, by some way, its strongest yet."