Hardwicke Stakes runner-up Nagano Gold will have the Group Two at Royal Ascot as a target in 2020 after signing off for the current campaign with an unsuccessful tilt at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
The five-year-old, who is trained in the Czech Republic, put up a fine performance when going down by half a length to Group One winner Defoe at the Royal meeting, despite being badly hampered at the start.
He was unable to repeat that effort in sticky conditions at ParisLongchamp on Sunday and had to settle for eighth place behind Waldgeist.
The Sixties Icon entire is likely to be put away for the winter, but will race on next year.
"The horse is OK after the race. It was not an easy race for him. Probably the ground was too soft for him," said Tomas Janda, racing manager to owner-trainer Vaclav Juka Jr.
"We did hope for a bit better place, but the jockey confirmed the ground was too much for him.
"He will probably not run again this year. There is no suitable race for him, but he stays in training and so we will make plans for next year during the winter.
"The Hardwicke Stakes is quite probable. Ascot suits him. It's a good race, it was great atmosphere, everything.
"We all really enjoyed it, so I can imagine there is a very high chance that he will come back for that race. He was a bit unlucky not to win this year.
"That is the likely race. He will stay a bit further, up to two miles maybe, but the Gold Cup is an extreme distance.
"I think Ascot is probable for next year, with him also running in France and maybe trying one or two more races in England. There are options."
GET THE FULL PICTURE: Don't miss out on FREE video replays and our fantastic My Stable tracker. Log in now and become a Sporting Life Insider.
Related horse racing links
