Cigar's heat subsides to allow training

Cigar's trainer, Bill Mott, believes that America's Horse of 1995 will be able to resume training tomorrow after bruising his off-fore foot in Florida last week.

Cigar has made good progress since the setback but was unable to resume training on Wednesday due to heat in the affected hoof.

Mott has expressed the need to get at least two pieces of work into the horse before 15 March in order to have any chance of making the Dubai World Cup line-up at Nad Al Sheba on 27 March.

The setback has already cost the connections of Cigar a $2m bonus as he was unable to contest the Santa Anita Handicap last weekend. The bonus is for winning that race, the Hollywood Gold Cup and the Pacific Classic, provided each event attracts at least six runners.

Cigar is on a winning streak of 13 and was an impressive winner of the Grade One Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park earlier this month.