Webber maps out Royal Ascot aim for Indefatigable

Paul Webber is planning an ambitious Flat campaign with his star mare Indefatigable, including a return to familiar territory for her first outing on the level.

The Cheltenham Festival-winning hurdler won her sole previous Flat appearance in a Pontefract maiden last October and that has whetted the appetite to keep the game daughter of Schiaparelli going throughout the summer while the ground remains in her favour.

She has finished the National Hunt season by running at Sandown for the past two years and that is the most likely destination for her next outing, with Webber pencilling in a run in the Group Three Henry II Stakes later this month.

“She’s come out of Sandown very well indeed and I’ve had a good hard look at the Flat programme. The problem is there isn’t a little novice race that’s not going to be a little sharp for her over say a mile and three (furlongs) or an easy mile and a half,” explained Webber.

“So, I think we might take a bit of a punt and stick her in the Henry II at Sandown, because that track suits her very well. Often that race will only have six or seven runners and we’ll know exactly where we are for the next step.”

The Cropredy Lawn handler has already tasted success twice at Royal Ascot, first with Ulundi in the 2002 Wolferton Stakes and then five years later with Full House in the Ascot Stakes. It is that latter prize which is being lined up as Indefatigable’s summer target, with Webber looking for his third victory at the summer showpiece.

He continued: “Royal Ascot is certainly on the radar, but she would need another run to qualify for the Ascot Stakes. But obviously there is the Queen Alexandra if, for whatever reason, she didn’t get a mark or she got a mark that was too high for the Ascot Stakes. I don’t think we will be supplementing her at 37 grand for the Gold Cup though!”