Mike Murphy believes the step back up to 10 furlongs will suit Chapter And Verse in the feature race at Lingfield Park, the Inside Track Racing Club Quebec Stakes.
Although the four-year-old won a maiden over that distance at Pontefract in June 2009, he has mainly been campaigned at around a mile and was not beaten far when fourth to Riggins in a Listed event at Kempton on his latest start.
“He’s in very good form and came out of the race very well. He’s squealing and kicking and keen to have another race. We saw this Listed contest and thought we may as well have a pop at it,” said the Bedfordshire trainer.
“He was only beaten one and a half lengths by Riggins last time and perhaps if we’d gone a bit sooner he might have been closer.
“He’s entitled to be thereabouts on that running and the step up to a mile and a quarter should suit him. He won his maiden over that distance and the way he stays on strongly in his races he should not have any problem getting the extra two furlongs.
“When you are in these Listed events you have to go for the best jockey you can, so we’re happy to have got Kieren (Fallon).
“On official ratings he would be giving weight to every horse in the race apart from one. With a bit of luck, he shouldn’t be far away.”
Final Drive has won four of his last five starts and with opportunities running out his trainer John Ryan believes he has to give him a chance in Listed company.
The Newmarket handler said: “He’s wrong at the weights, but at the end of the day he’s in form and there’s nothing else really for him. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and take a chance at a big prize.
“He’s in very good form and he’s kept improving with his racing. You’re waiting for the bubble to burst. Surely at some time it’s going to, but at the moment at home he’s in top form so we have to keep going until he tells us.”
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