Golden Horn could travel to France for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
Tuesday 25 August 2015 16:22, UK
Golden Horn could travel to France for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe without another run should conditions turn against him in the Qipco Irish Champion Stakes.
The 10-furlong showpiece at Leopardstown on September 12 has been identified as the next step along the ladder for the Derby winner, who lost his unbeaten record to Arabian Queen in the Juddmonte International last Wednesday.
John Gosden's inmate was not especially suited by the rain-softened terrain at York, with the ground in Ireland crucial to his participation in the Group One next month.
If Golden Horn was forced to bypass the Irish Champion, owner Anthony Oppenheimer would be unfazed by the prospect of charting a direct route to the Arc on October 4.
Should it also get too wet at Longchamp, the son of Cape Cross still has the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot a fortnight later as a viable alternative.
Oppenheimer said: "Sometimes in racing not everything goes smoothly, and things did not go smoothly at York.
"The horse was still very valiant in defeat, though, and was not beaten by very far at all.
"You cannot win them all, and it was a very exciting race to watch.
"The plan now is to go to Ireland, where we hope they will have an Indian summer.
"Leopardstown is a very good track and drains very well so we hope the ground will be fine for him.
"If we cannot travel to Ireland because of the ground, that (going straight to the Arc) is a possibility.
"There is also the Champion Stakes to fall back on, so the horse still has plenty of options."
