Brittain offers Warrsan explanation

Clive Brittain has revealed that a mosquito attack may have prevented stable star Warrsan from giving his true run in Italy last weekend.

The four-year-old finished second to Godolphin’s Leadership in the Gran Premio di Milano at San Siro, the same position which his half-brother, Luso, also occupied in the race twice in the 1990s.

But Brittain revealed that Warrsan may not have given his true running in the Group One contest.

“Just like Luso, he had an allergy to the mosquitoes and they swarmed on him in the stalls,” said the trainer.

“It got him very upset and although I am not saying that it definitely cost him the race it definitely didn’t help.

“Since he came back he has been swimming twice a day, every day, and now we have got the bites all out of him he seems as well as ever.”

Warrsan’s next target is the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot on July 26.

“It is definitely Ascot next for him,” added Brittain, who confirmed that Dutch Gold – sixth behind Kris Kin in the Vodafone Derby – was a likely starter in Saturday’s Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown.

“His last piece of work was very, very good and I think he is improving all the time,” Brittain commented.