Hawkbill could contest Preis von Europa at Cologne over a mile and a half

Hawkbill could be stepped up in trip in a bid to get back on the winning trail in the Preis von Europa at Cologne on Sunday.

The mile-and-a-half Group One contest is one of two options, along with next month's Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot, under consideration for the Charlie Appleby-trained three-year-old.

Since winning the Coral-Eclipse in July, the son of Kitten's Joy has tasted defeat in two subsequent starts, the most recent coming in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.

Appleby said: "He has come out of Ireland well and he will definitely have one more run this year.

"He travelled into the race better at Leopardstown than he did at York .

"It was good ground there, maybe just on the easy side of it, but it was not the testing conditions we know he thrives on.

"There is the option of possibly going to Germany for a Group One with him on Sunday. We might take that in, but we will decide later in the week and obviously we will also look at the Champion Stakes."