Seul flop a mystery

Tout Seul’s poor showing in the Juddmonte Lockinge Stakes on Saturday remained a mystery yesterday.

Fulke Johnson Houghton’s 2002 Dewhurst Stakes winner landed a Listed contest at Leicester on his previous start in good style to earn a return to Group One company in the Newbury race.

But the four-year-old, sent off at 12-1, was never travelling and, after being badly hampered by the injured Desert Deer inside the final furlong, finished last of the 15 runners behind Russian Rhythm.

“He’s sound this morning and seems perfectly all right,” said Johnson Houghton.

“I don’t know what was the matter yesterday. He ran terribly. He was well beaten when he was hampered but he probably wouldn’t have finished last if that hadn’t happened. But he wasn’t going to win at any stage.

“I’m still thinking what to do now. We’ll just see how he is over the next few days before making any plans.”