Al Shaqab Racing's Mekhtaal (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), winner of the G2 Prix Hocquart at Deauville on Sunday, is unlikely to be supplemented for the G1 Investec Derby and will instead target the G1 Prix du Jockey Club June 5. Harry Herbert, racing advisor to Al Shaqab, said of the Jean-Claude Rouget trainee, “I think we will probably go for the Prix du Jockey Club with him and keep him in France. He's certainly bred to get further than 10 furlongs in time and he's a very exciting horse.”
An Al Shaqab colourbearer who could make a trip to Britain is G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches-third Qemah (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who targets the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot June 17.
“She looks likely to go for the Coronation S., where a faster pace would be to her advantage,” Herbert said. “She really didn't help herself by pulling and pulling in the Guineas, and when she came through to challenge, she couldn't go on. They are likely to go a faster early pace at Ascot, which should help her to settle better. To be fair to Jean-Claude, this has been his plan for a while.”
The Rouget-trained, Al Shaqab-raced Jemayel (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), winner of Monday's G1 Prix Saint-Alary, will go for the G1 Prix de Diane June 19.
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