Leicester and Doncaster options under consideration for Zanthos

Connections are considering the options with the exciting Zanthos after the prospect of soft ground scuppered a tilt at the Solario Stakes.

The €1million breeze-up buy lit up the July course with a dazzling display on debut, with trainers Simon and Ed Crisford open to taking on the colts in the Sandown Group Three.

However, put off by forecast rain and keen to ensure the daughter of Sioux Nation banks further experience on a sound surface, they will now consider a new route to high-ranking events at the end of the season.

Zanthos holds an entry for both the Rockfel Stakes (September 26) and Fillies’ Mile (October 10) on Newmarket’s Rowley Mile, with the youngster’s team now weighing up a Leicester novice event on September 9 or Doncaster’s Betfred May Hill Stakes two days later as potential stepping stones.

Chris Wall, racing manager for owners Victorious Forever, said: “The plan was to run in the Solario, but we ducked out of that with the forecast and possibility of soft ground which it looked like being.

“The target is the Rockfel and it’s just how we get there as we feel she needs to have another run for experience and it’s then a question of where we do that.

“We could go for the May Hill over a mile which I suppose if she ran well in that, we could then bin the Rockfel idea and head straight to the Fillies’ Mile. Or there is also a fillies’ novice race at Leicester the same week.

“As much as anything, and obviously her well-being at the time is also paramount, but wherever she goes could be dictated a little bit by the ground as she’s a good-actioned filly. I’m not saying she won’t cope with slowish ground but she wouldn’t want very soft ground.

“We’re all looking forward to her next run and it’s disappointing we couldn’t go to the Solario as it would have let us know where we stood and we could confidently make plans for the autumn, but we can’t help the weather and we take that on the chin and move on.”