Water To Wine is on track to make his return to action next month following a break over the summer.
The John and Thady Gosden-trained son of Kingman created a major impression on his debut in a maiden at Newbury in April before adding to that success under a penalty in a novice at Kempton Park.
However, his unbeaten run came to an end when finishing third in the Group Two King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot (replay below).
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Having been given a break along with undergoing a gelding operation in the interim period, connections of the George Strawbridge-owned three-year-old are now confident he can kick on with his career.
Tom Goff, racing and bloodstock advisor to Strawbridge, said: “He just doesn’t want the ground fast so he has been given a bit of a holiday through the summer. Royal Ascot just found him out a little bit. It was a combination of ground and experience.
"It is down hill those first two furlongs over a mile and a half. He didn’t really enjoy that. Will (Buick) got off and said he will be a much better horse next year.
“He was a big lad, but he has grown a lot, and his best days are ahead of him. He is on the work list now, and I would be very hopeful that he would run before the end of the year.
“We haven’t quite got that far as to which race he will go for, but I’d like to think there would be something in October for him as he is in good form. He has done a few bits of work back, but we will sit down with John, Thady and George and see where we go.”
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