Friday 22 May 2015 10:20, UK
Connections have warned Pretend could miss the betfred.com Temple Stakes on Saturday if further showers fall on the Merseyside course.
Should the Godolphin-owned four-year-old not take his chance in the Group Two then he could try again over the course and distance a week later in the 888sport Achilles Stakes, a Listed race over the same trip of five furlongs.
Trainer Charlie Appleby reports the Invincible Spirit gelding to be ready to return to the fray following a well-deserved break after completing a hat-trick in the six-furlong All-Weather Sprint Championships at Lingfield on Good Friday.
"The only thing is as I've put on our declaration page is that we are ground dependent," said the Newmarket handler.
"He was declared on good to soft and we are monitoring the ground. William (Buick) is riding there tomorrow and we will be keen to hear from him how the ground is riding.
"All being well if they do happen to miss the showers that are potentially forecast they could get closer to good ground.
"If they were to get a shower on what is already good to soft the likelihood is we would give it a miss and head back for the Achilles at Haydock the following Saturday. That's the plan."
A field of 12 is headed by G Force who returns to the scene of his Betfred Sprint Cup victory in September.
David O'Meara's speedster carries a penalty for that Group One win and is racing over a furlong shorter.
Mick Appleby's Danzeno races in Group Two company for the first time, having claimed the Group Three Chipchase at Newcastle last June.
While Sole Power stays in Ireland this weekend for the Greenlands Stakes, the Emerald Isle is still represented by Tommy Stack's Great Minds.
Hot Streak, who won the race last year, runs for Kevin Ryan and will be ridden by Oisin Murphy.
David Barron's Pearl Secret and David Brown's Wind Fire run for the same connections. George Baker rides the former, with Paul Hanagan on the latter.
Robert Cowell's Goldream has moved through the handicapping ranks and was a good winner of the Palace House on his return to action.
Jack Dexter, fresh from a good run at York last week, Justice Day, the speedy Take Cover and the Cowell-trained Kingsgate Native, winner of the race in 2010 and 2013, complete the field.
