SOUTH AFRICAN import War Artist is set to have his first run on British turf at Newmarket on Thursday.
Trainer James Eustace reports the five-year-old to be on course for the Connaught Access Flooring Abernant Stakes over 6f.
War Artist, a Grade 1 winner over that distance in his native country, made a satisfactory British debut when runner-up to Jack Sullivan over 7f on Wolverhampton's all-weather surface last month.
"He gets an enormous 10lb penalty but he's got to run somewhere and it seems an ideal stepping stone to the Duke of York Stakes," said Eustace.
"I would like to think he's come on for Wolverhampton. He did need it and I've been very pleased with him since.
"I hope the ground stays good because on his South African form he handles faster than good very well. I hope it doesn't become a bog and I doubt that it will at Newmarket.
"He's done a couple of bits of work across the flats at Newmarket over six furlongs and he seemed to handle the Dip perfectly well."
Ryan Moore rode War Artist at Wolverhampton and Eustace hopes the 2006 champion will be available to continue the partnership.
"Ryan will ride him so long as he's not claimed by Richard Hannon and I won't know that until later on," he added.
War Artist is among 28 entries that include one Irish possible - the Aidan O'Brien-trained Abraham Lincoln.
Others in the list include the Hannon-trained pair of Assertive and Sonny Red, John Dunlop's Per Incanto, Karl Burke's Aahayson, Luca Cumani's Balthazaar's Gift and JamesFanshawe's Zidane.
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