Drop in class and trip on the cards for Dancing Gemini

Adam Morgan
July 9, 2024 2:19 pm

Roger Teal looking to Goodwood after Eclipse disappointment.

Dancing Gemini is poised to drop back to a mile in search of a confidence boost after the colt finished down the field in the Coral-Eclipse.

Roger Teal’s stable star had finished second in the French 2000 Guineas on his return before not being disgraced behind City Of Troy in the Derby.

The move back to 10 furlongs at Sandown was expected to bring the two Epsom rivals closer than the eight and a quarter lengths which separated them on the Surrey Downs.

However, after travelling menacingly into the straight, Dancing Gemini failed to pick-up in the rain-softened ground – finishing last of the six to take part as City Of Troy once again took home the spoils.

Dancing Gemini winning at Doncaster as a two-year-old (Tim Goode/PA)

Teal said: “I think he struggled on the ground and he travelled really strong, it was just when Kieran (Shoemark, jockey) thought he was going to pick up, he just couldn’t and his stride shortened.

“I’m not sure he saw the trip out on that ground and he was travelling best of all coming up the hill but when Kieran asked him, he was padding a little bit.

“I would love to run this horse on better ground and I was concerned in the morning because of the amount of rain they had. I know what that hill is like at Sandown, it stops trains.”

As well as somewhat regretting the decision to run once conditions deteriorated in Esher, Teal feels now is the time to take stock and return to a mile.

Trainer Roger Teal is considering a move back to a mile with Dancing Gemini (John Walton/PA)

A drop in grade is also on the cards and the Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes at Goodwood on August 2 is in the back of the trainer’s mind for his colt’s next outing.

Teal continued: “He’s got form on soft ground and you were snookered into running him, but I think in hindsight I might have been better hooking him out – you live and learn.

“I would like to drop back to a mile and regroup. We’re just going to monitor him over the next week or so and make sure we are happy with him and then maybe step back to a mile next time.

“I think we will lower our sights a little bit, get a confidence-booster into him and get him back on track. We probably need to get our sensible heads on and try something at a slightly lesser level and go from there.

“There’s a Group Three at Goodwood over a mile in August – that is something I have my eye on if he is OK. We will probably aim for that and see what happens and try to get him back on track.”