David Menuisier is looking for Sunway to get his turn to shine when he launches his 2025 campaign in Saturday’s Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Stakes at Newbury, registered as the John Porter.
The four-year-old had a series of near misses last season as he was just touched off in the Group Three Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud, finished a fine second in the Irish Derby and was also placed in the St Leger, where he passed the post in fourth but was promoted after being bumped by Deira Mile.
Menuisier said: “He’s in very good order, so fingers crossed. I think it seems the right race to start again, so let’s see. Let’s hope there’s a bit of pace and the horse will come on for that. He seems straight enough anyway.
“He always seemed to bump into a nice horse. He was beaten by some very smart ones. So one day it will be his turn.
“We don’t really have much choice. If he keeps on going forward, the idea probably would be the Jockey Club Stakes and the Coronation Cup and then either a tilt at Ascot or to France for the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.”
Stablemate Tamfana has remained in training and is likely to begin her season in the Bet365 Mile at Sandown later this month.
She won the Atalanta Stakes and the Group One Sun Chariot Stakes last term and Menuisier has the BoyleSports Lockinge Stakes at Newbury as the chief early-season target for his star mare.
He added: “Tamfana is well. She might start and blow off the cobwebs at Sandown for the Mile and then probably the Lockinge.
“It depends how strong the generation is for four-year-old-plus horses for where she goes. Not sure if we will keep her over a mile. I think we’ll leave all the options open after that.”
Meanwhile, Menuisier had been hoping to unleash the potentially smart Doncaster winner Janey Mackers in Paris this weekend.
But in an update on his X feed, he said: “Sadly Janey Mackers suffered a little setback in training this morning and therefore won’t be able to take part in the Prix de la Grotte this Sunday at Longchamp.”
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