Pride Of Arras is set for a Curragh rematch with Betfred Derby winner Lambourn.
Ralph Beckett’s Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante hero was sent off the 4/1 second favourite for the Epsom Classic but beat only one home as he was eased down in the final two furlongs by Rossa Ryan.
Speaking on Racing TV the trainer said: “He was a little keen up the hill and I don’t think that helped but he came down the hill like an ostrich on ice. He’s come out of it well and I’d be keen to go to the Irish Derby with him, that would suit him. We’ll see whether we can make that happen.”
Stablemate Stanhope Gardens fared much better in fifth at the weekend, looking set to be potentially placed before fading in the closing stages. A drop back to ten furlongs is likely for him next time.
“That would be the obvious thing to do. What muddies the waters is he had such a bad prep. I don’t want to make excuses for horses, he ran his race and there’s no doubt about that,” Beckett said.
“I don’t think he’d have run his race any better had he had a perfect prep but he was off for two weeks the last week of April and the first week of May then we had another problem the week before the Derby as well, so he only just made it.
“Obviously from that draw, the sectionals said he ran fast three to the two and two to the one so all of that is really encouraging. The obvious thing to do is to go back to ten because if he doesn’t get home again over 12 next time then I’m a hole.
“That’s what I’ll probably do but then he’s by Ghaiyyath out of a mare who was really ten furlongs and her progeny are as well so that’s where we’ll probably end up but that’s to be debated in the round first before we do anything.
“It might be the Prix Eugene-Adam at Saint-Cloyd maybe, but we’ll see how we feel in a couple of weeks but I was delighted he ran so well because he’s a horse who always wears his heart on his sleeve and every day he does his very best, whatever he’s doing.
“I was particularly pleased he was kicking his door down for grub on Sunday morning. He’s a star in his own way; he may not be the horse I hope he’s going to be, but in his own way he is.”
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