Charlie Hills Bidding For More Greenlands Glory With Iberian

Iberian will bid to supply fitness instructor Charlie Hills with back-to-back triumphes in the Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh on Saturday.


The Lambourn handler declared the Group Two reward with Mitbaahy 12 months earlier and will have high hopes of contributing to his tally with a horse who was last seen decreasing a neck to Spycatcher in the Cammidge Trophy on the opening day of the season at Doncaster.


With Hills keen to stick at six furlongs, Iberian had the alternative of performing at York in Wednesday's 1895 Duke of York Stakes, however he is rather being readied for a trip across the Irish Sea.


"He's extremely well, we're actually pleased with him. We decided to bypass York and we're going for the Greenlands rather," said Hills.


"The track needs to suit him well and if he runs well there then it could be good timing to then go to the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.


"I was actually happy with his Doncaster run, he was most likely a bit unlucky with the method he dived throughout the track and seemed to lose his concentration for a bit.


Iberian winning the Betfred Champagne Stakes (Tim Goode/PA)


"He struck the line strong though, so we'll put that behind us now and look forward to the rest of the season."


Another Hills inmate who began his season on a good note is Cicero's Gift, with the five-year-old completing third in a competitive renewal of the Group Two bet365 Mile at Sandown.


However, current strategies are on hold for the son of Muhaarar, who ground underfoot.


"We have actually simply got to wait till it starts to rain. It's really difficult to make strategies with him at the moment, it's been so dry," Hills added.


"We'll keep our options open through the year but he's constantly been at his finest when he can enter the ground, so we'll simply have to be client and wait on the rain."