Celandine thriving ahead of Summer Stakes tilt

After being considered for an audacious July Cup bid, Celandine will return to the scene of past glory as she makes her reappearance in York’s William Hill Summer Stakes on Friday.

Although not seen since fifth in the Cheveley Park Stakes as a two-year-old, trainer Ed Walker gave serious thought to supplementing the daughter of Kingman for Saturday’s Newmarket feature such is quality of her work at home.

However, she will instead be in Group Three action a day earlier on the Knavesmire, a place that proved a happy hunting ground when she claimed the Lowther Stakes last summer when getting the better of subsequent Commonwealth Cup scorer Time For Sandals.

Walker said: “It’s really exciting to have her back and she’s been working really well, so much so that I toyed with supplementing her for the July Cup what with the fast ground.

“We saw sense and have gone the sensible route and she seems in great nick.

“Hopefully she can prove she’s trained on, which is what she’s been showing us at home, she’s certainly grown and is a very exciting filly.”

The Richard Hughes-trained Sayidah Dariyan finished a close up fourth in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and drops back in against her own sex.

“I was very confident going into Ascot, although her price was huge, and she didn’t let us down. She ran a blinder,” said Hughes.

“The flat six furlongs at York will really play into her strengths, I think. She’s quite a fast filly, so we’re hoping for a big run.

“She’s an angel to train. She only lost three kilos at Ascot, so that convinced me I’d be able to back her up at York. She’s easy, just ticking over and she’s fit.”

David O’Meara’s Nighteyes, fourth in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at 100-1, James Tate’s Electric Storm and the William Haggas-trained First Instinct are among a field of 12.