Raffle Prize (Ire) (Slade Power {Ire}) will not make the quick turnaround for the Royal Meeting after trailing in last in the G1 1000 Guineas on Sunday.
“It was very disappointing,” said assistant trainer Charlie Johnston of the Guineas performance of last year's G2 Queen Mary S. and G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. winner. “She missed the break and was on the back foot early on and she just never seemed comfortable. Nothing physically obvious has come to light since, so it is very much back to the drawing board with her. You won't see her any time any time soon and she will not be going to Royal Ascot. We will try to make sure she is right in herself at home before going again.”
Johnston said he doesn't think the mile trip is to blame.
“She didn't look like a Queen Mary winner that was cantering all over them at halfway and then folded,” he said. “If anything she looked like she was struggling to lay up to them. I think we just have to put a line through it.”
Raffle Prize's stablemate Rose of Kildare (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) could head to the G2 German 1000 Guineas on June 7-travel restrictions permitting–after finishing ninth in the 1000 Guineas after racing prominently early.
“Rose Of Kildare wasn't disgraced at all,” Johnston said. “I thought three out she would drop away and be outclassed, but to be fair she stuck on well to finish in a group of four horses between sixth and ninth. We thought she could be up to winning a German Guineas which is a race we have won for the past two seasons and nothing would put us off that. The only thing at the moment is logistically it might be quite tricky. If we can't go to Germany we will look at other options at home. We are not ruling out trying her over a mile and a quarter. On pedigree she should be able to get that trip. At the top level over a mile, those better horses just have too much toe for her.”
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