Channon looks to Arc

Mick Channon is keen to run Youmzain in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe despite the colt’s fourth placing behind Quijano in the Grosser Preis Von Baden in Germany yesterday.

The West Ilsley trainer believes the stop-start gallop in which the field ignored runner-up Alderflug’s pacemaker contributed to the defeat.

Youmzain was pushed wide into the home straight under jockey Richard Hughes and Channon said: “It was a messy old race and we live to fight another day.

“We got beat but it wasn’t satisfactory in that it developed into two races with our horse being pushed wider and wider. On his day he can beat anything but things just didn’t drop for him.”

Youmzain finished strongly but at the line was almost four lengths adrift of the winner.

He fared best of the overseas contingent in a race dominated by German-trained horses, with Alderflug second and Egerton third.

Channon added: “It hasn’t changed our plans for him and I imagine he would still head for the Arc.”