Arc still on Workforce agenda
Michael Stoute’s four-year-old hung violently to his left in the closing stage of the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes and had to make do with the runner-up spot behind Nathaniel.
It transpired last year’s Derby and Arc winner had been struck into behind by the fatally-injured Rewilding and Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner Khalid Abdullah, is keeping his fingers crossed the top-class colt has not suffered any lasting damage.
“He’s not 100% and I spoke to Michael this morning,” said Grimthorpe. “On the night of the race he was quite sore behind and the following morning he was still not using himself properly.
“This morning he is a shade better and we’re going to take it gently with him.
“He’ll be checked out this week and probably early next week. We’ll get various things looked at by Michael’s vets and hopefully we’ll take him forward again.
“We wouldn’t want anything serious because obviously that would be threatening to him.
“But at the moment we’re pretty positive and we’re hoping to look at Longchamp again.”
nNOEL MEADE is confident Pandorama will be ready for action when the National Hunt season kicks into gear after recovering from an injury sustained in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
The four-time Grade One winner ran a creditable seventh in the blue riband considering conditions were too fast, but he returned to Ireland very sore.
Meade had been concerned his pride and joy had suffered some more long-term damage, but he now feels he will be ready for a return in November.
“I’m just going to leave him another little while and he hasn’t come back yet, but we were very happy with him when he went out (to grass),” said Meade.
“I think he’ll be back some time around the end of November. I suppose the race in the north (JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal) is the first race we could think about.
“The one that I would be hoping for is the race in Leopardstown at Christmas (Lexus Chase).”
