Hoof It heads to York

Hoof It is to be aimed at the Duke of York Stakes in May after missing the second half of last season with a virus.

The six-year-old sprinter, part-owned by golf ace Lee Westwood and his agent Chubby Chandler, is reported to be back in fine form by his trainer Mick Easterby.

Hoof It had been tipped for top honours last season after winning the Stewards' Cup at Glorious Goodwood and finishing a close third in Haydock's Betfred Sprint Cup in 2011.

But he was restricted to just two runs last term, occupying fifth place in both the Group Two Duke of York and Newmarket's Group Three Criterion Stakes.

"He had an operation on his throat and he's come right. He's quite nice now and he's going well, keeping fingers crossed," Easterby told At The Races.

"He goes for the race at York in May. That will be his race. He's going really well now, but it was soul-destroying last year.

"He picked up a bug first time he ran and picked up a virus. There was not only him. Nearly all the yard did and they were never really right all year. There's nothing you can do. But I'm very pleased with him now."