Awzaan not certain for Ascot

Mark Johnston’s 2000 Guineas disappointment Awzaan is unlikely to be seen until the second half of the season.

The Middle Park winner was never going at Newmarket and trailed in 15th of the 19 runners.

Thankfully for connections a plausible reason was found for the run when he was diagnosed with a bacterial infection. However, Royal Ascot may come too soon for Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum’s colt.

“He’s had a bacterial infection. I was misquoted recently when somebody said Ascot was the target, I actually said it would be Ascot at the earliest that we saw him,” said Johnston.

“I would actually think it would be longer than that before you saw him back, probably the second half of the season.”

Johnston had better news of Pretty Polly winner Marie De Medici, although a definite target has still to been confirmed for the filly.

“She’s got lots of entries, including the Epsom Oaks, so we are just keeping an open mind,” he added.

“She’s held entries in other Listed races and so on but we hope we might be talking about bigger with her.

“It’s a very open year.”