British stables provided half the field at yesterday's declaration stage for the Heinz 57 Phoenix Stakes at Leopardstown on Sunday. There were six colts from that country among the 13 acceptors for the Group One six-furlong contest. And Godolphin's Windsor Castle Stakes and Cherry Hinton Stakes-winning filly Asfurah was the sole supplementary entry by the noon deadline.
Neville Callaghan was the last British trainer to lift the £150,000 contest, with Danehill Dancer two years ago, and he left in the unraced Falcon Crest yesterday.
Peter Chapple-Hyam and Richard Hannon, successful respectively with Turtle Island in 1993 and Pip's Pride in 1992, have declared Social Charter and Pool Music in turn.
Other possible British runners are last week's Richmond Stakes third Bodyguard (trained by Paul Cole) and Princely Heir (Mark Johnston), third in the Anglesey Stakes at the Curragh last month.
King of Kings, sent off at 30 to 100 when short-headed by Lady Alexander in the Anglesey, is among six acceptors trained by Aidan O'Brien.
But the former 2,000 Guineas favourite is far from a certain runner as the going is currently described as soft and his trainer may choose his team from Harbour Master, Danyross, Flame Violet, Heeremandi and Hopping Higgins.
Britain supplies six of the 10 acceptors for the Group Three Phoenix Sprint Stakes on the same card. Recent Deauville winner Monaassib (trained by Ed Dunlop) is joined by Abou Zouz (David Loder), Indian Rocket (John Dunlop), Azizzi (Charles Egerton), Cretan Gift (Nick Littmoden) and Za-Im (Barry Hills) in the six-furlong event.
Heinz 57 Phoenix Stakes acceptors: Bodyguard (trained by P Cole), Falcon Crest (N Callaghan), Harbour Master (A P O'Brien), King of Kings (A P O'Brien), Pool Music (R Hannon), Princely Heir (M Johnston), Social Charter (P Chapple-Hyam), Attractive Crown (K Prendergast), Danyross (A P O'Brien), Flame Violet (A P O'Brien), Heeremandi (A P O'Brien), Hopping Higgins (A P O'Brien), Tarascon (T Stack). Supplementary entry: Asfurah (S bin Suroor).
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)