Eric by-passes Chantilly date
Dante Stakes runner-up Bollin Eric is set to miss Sunday week’s French Derby, Tim Easterby has announced.
The colt is to be aimed instead at the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 21.
His trainer has had a change of heart and feels the colt will benefit from a longer break after his exertions at York, where he stayed on strongly to be beaten a length and a quarter by Godolphin’s Moon Ballad on Wednesday.
‘‘He’s fine after the race but he won’t go for the French Derby,’’ Easterby said.
‘‘He will go to Ascot for the King Edward VII Stakes. It will give him the chance to improve further, as he is going to get better as the year goes on. And the track will suit him.
‘‘And if everything goes right he should go for the St Leger.’’
Bollin Eric won the last two of his four starts as a two-year-old, and finished third in a Listed event at Newmarket prior to the Dante.
