Soviet to keep on singing

James Fanshawe’s star mare Soviet Song will be kept in training next season in a bid for her to add to a impressive tally of five Group One successes.

The Elite Racing Club have decided retiring her would be against the ethos of the club, so she will take to the track in 2006 as a six-year-old.

Matthew Budden, Elite’s racing manager, told Racing UK: “Essentially the club is about racing and there are plenty of good races for mares, so hopefully in keeping her in training for another year we’ll have some good times ahead.

“There are certainly valuable prizes that are well worth winning and when you have got one that is good enough, it can hopefully pay to keep them in training.”

Soviet Song has suffered several setbacks this campaign which have kept her off the track since her narrow defeat to Proclamation in the Sussex Stakes in July.

“It has just been a couple of niggly little things,” continued Budden.

“She had a lung infection after she ran in the Sussex, which took a while to clear up.

“Then the plan was to go for the Matron or the Sun Chariot, but unfortunately she was just a bit footsore.

“We took some precautionary X-rays, but there is no damage to be seen, it’s one of those unfortunate things that happens from time to time and hopefully we’ll have a clean run of things next year.”