Darjina sticking to a mile

Connections of top-class filly Darjina have revealed a tilt at the Champion Stakes at Newmarket is unlikely.

Alain de Royer-Dupre’s charge won the French 1000 Guineas earlier in the season and beat the colts in the Prix Du Moulin on her last start.

Dual Group One winner Ramonti and the mercurial George Washington had no answer to her finishing kick at Longchamp, and Georges Rimaud, racing manager to the Aga Khan, sees no reason why she should step up to 10 furlongs after proving her class over a mile.

“There are several options for her, but they are all still up in the air at the moment. It needs to be discussed by the owner and the trainer,” said Rimaud.

“It is going to be decided by the ground I think. If it is fast enough for her in one place rather than another I think the discussion will be a last-minute one based on that.

“We also need to look at the distance, she has shown us nothing to suggest that she will stay a mile and a quarter so it may be best to stay at a mile so we will see, it is still up in the air.

“She beat them easily in the Moulin and on the day, with the ground as it was, she was very good. As the year goes on we will see (how good she is). Does she need to beat the colts again? I don’t know.

“We are going to keep her for breeding so our priorities may be slightly different than if we were trying to make up a stallion.

“I wouldn’t say her next race would be her last. At the end of the year it is not inconceivable that she could stay in training. It is a decision that will be taken in due course.”