Sweet William Unlikely To Go For Cesarewitch Although Being Ante-Post Favourite

Ebor Handicap second Sweet William is unlikely to head for the Cesarewitch before the end of the season says his trainer John Gosden although being the ante-post favourite for the handicap event over 2m2f.

Second on his first two starts as a juvenile last term when running over 1m4f at Kempton and Ascot and on both occasions went down by less than half a length.

Those runs gave him perfect experience for his three year old campaign and he started this term off at Southwell when second for a third straight time, bumping into Queen's Vase second Saint George for Andrew Balding, again going down by just half a length.

Next seen at Kempton and getting off the mark in impressive fashion, he then stepped up in trip by just over half a mile and being a half brother to thorough stayers including Group One winner Hurricane Lane he revelled in the distance to land a Class 2 Handicap easily by three lengths.

Up 7lbs to a mark of 95 when last seen at Goodwood in the 1m6f Coral Summer Handicap he handled the heavy ground superbly to take the race by just under three lengths going away.

Only upped 4lb for that win he headed into Ebor as the well backed favourite for the race but was done late on by the Willie Mullins trained and Frankie Dettori ridden Absurde.

With the next logical step for the four year old looking to be the Cesarewitch at Newmarket, Gosden has instead decided to take on other challenges with the gelding.

(Credit Racing Post) Gosden said: “Sweet William has come out of his run in the Ebor Handicap in good shape, but at this stage I would say he's an unlikely runner in the Cesarewitch. He may well run again this year but he could have other options."