Sun doubtful for King George

Zambezi Sun is unlikely to take up his entry in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot later this month.

Connections are instead considering dropping the French-trained four-year-old down in trip for the Group Three Prix Gontaut-Biron at Deauville on August 16.

That news follows on the back of Pascal Bary’s charge finishing fourth to Youmzain in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on Sunday.

“That was one of the strongest races of the year. It was a very high-class race and he finished fourth,” said Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner Khalid Abdullah.

“He had some pretty good horses behind him and three pretty decent horses in front of him.

“We are thinking where we ought to be going with him and there are various possibilities.

“I would doubt he would go for the King George. I would think he might go back to a mile and quarter for a Group Three in Deauville and then assess him thereafter,” Grimthorpe told At The Races.

The same owner’s Doctor Fremantle, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, is on course to have his next race at Longchamp after finishing fourth in the Vodafone Derby.

“His next intended start is the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris on July 14, which is a Group One over a mile and a half at Longchamp,” added Grimthorpe.