Monday 26 May 2014 12:53, UK
Richard Hannon believes the longer trip was to blame for Olympic Glory's disappointing display in the Prix d'Ispahan at Longchamp on Sunday.
The four-year-old was bidding for his second Group One victory in little over a week following his impressive Lockinge Stakes success, but he finished a well-beaten fourth behind French star Cirrus Des Aigles.
While it would be easy to assume the race came too soon for the colt following his Newbury exertions, Hannon is not using that as an excuse and believes his stamina failed to last out over the nine furlongs.
"Obviously, it was disappointing that Olympic Glory could not follow up his Lockinge win in France, but I don't go along with the theory that the race came too quick, nor that he does not like Longchamp," said the trainer.
"Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but maybe we were being too optimistic in thinking that he wanted more than a mile, because he did not finish his race, which is not like him.
"We'll freshen him up, and he could still go to Royal Ascot (Queen Anne Stakes), but we will see how he bounces back at home."
Hannon was far more pleased with the effort of Shifting Power at the Curragh on Saturday, who, having finished fourth in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, filled the runner-up spot behind the impressive Kingman in the Irish equivalent.
"Shifting Power justified our decision to stump up the 8,000 euro supplementary fee when running a cracker in the Irish 2000 Guineas," the Wiltshire handler told his website, www.richardhannonracing.co.uk.
"We knew that his Newmarket fourth was no fluke as he was always going to improve for stepping up to a mile, and he is a big horse who can only get better.
"He'll definitely get 10 furlongs, which increases our options, but he won another 57,000 euro there, so he is doing his connections proud."
