Ed Walker is keeping his fingers crossed for a spell of rain in Germany to enable him to step Almaqam up in trip for the a tilt at the Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppegarten.
With fast ground ruling the son of Lope De Vega out of the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on Saturday, the Lambourn handler will now aim his stable start towards the mile and a half Group One test on August 9.
Although meeting with defeat in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot last time out, the Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum-owned colt highlighted his talents when securing a breakthrough win at the top level on his return in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh.
Walker said: “Unless the ground was going to be right for him we weren’t going to go for the King George as it was a hell of a race.
“We might go a mile and a half in Germany with him next to find out whether we are going to go for the Arc or the Champion Stakes at the end of the season.
“Everyone keeps telling me that he wants a mile and a half so, if the ground plays ball then we might go there with him next."
While a trip to Germany is the next potential opportunity for Walker to return Almaqam to the track he admits he would be tempted by the Juddmonte International at York, if it came up soft, or hold tight until the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.
He added: “I would have a rattle at the Juddmonte if it came up soft, but the chances of getting that are probably unlikely.
“The Irish Champion Stakes is probably his race and we could end up sitting tight until then if the weather doesn’t break right for him beforehand.
“He won first time out this year against horses that had runs, so if we have to wait, then we have to wait."
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