Zaidan set for Group One switch

Clive Brittain will test the water in Group One company with Zaidan following his success in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The juvenile is now unbeaten in two career starts to date and Brittain has highlighted next year’s Kentucky Derby as his major objective.

While the trainer is keen to give his charge a mid-summer break, he is also looking forward to seeing him return towards the end of the season.

“He’s come out of Ascot in really good form,” said Brittain. “He lost six kilos in the race but we weighed him on Tuesday evening and he had put that back on plus two more, so the race certainly didn’t do him any harm.

“He’ll have a little bit of a break now but his next race will be a Group One and we have three or four to chose from.

“Kentucky is the big plan for next year so if we want to give him some experience of travelling, we could take him to Ireland or to France this season.

“There is the Grand Criterium at Longchamp. That is an option and the French style of racing certainly wouldn’t be against him, so we’ll see.”