Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes winner Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) “is not finished” for the season, according to trainer Richard Hannon, despite conflicting reports appearing elsewhere in the media.
Rosallion was a last minute withdrawal from the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood last week and Hannon admitted to being unsure whether the horse would be seen on a racecourse again this season when asked about the colt's next target.
Next month's Prix Du Moulin at ParisLongchamp was mooted as a suitable option for Rosallion's comeback, but that contest may come too soon.
A wet autumn and the prospect of soft ground is another variable which could come into play and put the participation of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid's colt in future events in doubt, but his trainer stressed his season is not over at this stage.
Hannon said, “Paris and the Moulin may well come too soon and then after that there are many options left in the year. However, those options could well be affected by soft ground, which he won't run on.
“There are many options left for him during the year, presumably when he gets over this infection and everything is fine and there is fast ground. I didn't put him in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes because the ground can be heavy and there's not much chance of it being fast ground.”
He added, “But there's lots of options and he's not finished for the season–but he could be if we are unlucky and he takes longer to get over this than we think and it's a very wet autumn.
“He's getting better every day and he will get back to his best, but then we're ground dependent and if it doesn't happen ground wise, then he has nothing left to prove this year.
“He's staying in training next year, but after speaking with Sheikh Mohammed Obaid there are also many options left for him this year.”
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