Ghan team consider autumn options

Connections of Ghanaati must decide whether to run her against the colts in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes – or in the Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes a week later.

The 1000 Guineas heroine is still under consideration for the two big autumn prizes after her recent third in the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.

Although trainer Barry Hills is leaning towards the Sun Chariot for fillies and mares on October 3, the QEII at Ascot is still a live option for the brilliant Coronation Stakes scorer.

“Hopefully we’ll get her back in the autumn to her previous glory,” said Angus Gold, racing manager for owner Hamdan Al Maktoum.

“We’ll give her two or three weeks of just gentle cantering.

“The original thought was the Queen Elizabeth at Ascot, but I know Barry Hills is rather favouring the fillies’ race at Newmarket a week later.

“We’ll see how she is nearer the time, but I wouldn’t be frightened of taking on the colts again.”

Gold felt something was slightly amiss with Ghanaati during the Sussex Stakes, in which she was comfortably beaten by Rip Van Winkle and Paco Boy.

“Looking at her in the paddock beforehand, she looked a little short,” he told At The Races.

“I would hazard a guess that we’d get her better than that.

“The one thing she’d done in her two previous races was lengthen all the way to the line.

“We’ve had a look at her with the chiropractor last week and she was a bit sore behind.”