Yorkshire trainer, David Griffiths, has confirmed that nine-year-old sprint star, Take Cover, is on course for another tilt at the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York on Friday 19 August.

The evergreen gelding proved that age is no barrier to success last week, when he landed the Group 2 King George Stakes at Goodwood for the second successive season. That afternoon, Take Cover had sixteen rivals behind him and Griffiths reflected that it may well have been his charge’s best ever run.

“I think it probably was, wasn’t it,” he said. “He’s as good as ever, definitely – I think arguably, he’s better than ever.

“The race at Goodwood the other day was obviously a very good one and he turned the tables with a few of them.

“He has come out of the race really well, he likes York and we go there, hopefully, all guns blazing.

“Good ground is fine, on the quick side is better and good-to-firm like it was at Goodwood is ideal. We are just praying for no rain.”

Take Cover is proven over the fast five furlongs of the Knavesmire, winning twice over course and distance in the past – including at Listed level.

On the bare form, he also ran very respectably to finish eighth in the 2014 renewal of the Group 1 Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes. But that performance behind Sole Power was even better if granted an unruly moment in the starting stalls.Griffiths explained:

“When he got beat by Sole Power, just a fraction before the off, he went up over the top of the stalls, whacked his head and still ran very well that day and was only beaten two lengths. We’ve fixed the stalls problem now, touch wood.”

The £340,000 Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes is now £15,000 more valuable than on his last visit but remains the fastest contest of the twenty-five at the Welcome To Yorkshire Ebor Festival. The four days of high quality action start on Wednesday 17 August with York’s richest ever race – the £900,000 Juddmonte International.