Connections to remain patient with future plans for Shartash

‘We won’t rush him back on quick ground, we will bide our time now.’

Connections of Shartash are willing to bide their time for the ideal opportunity this summer after his encouraging third in the Prix de Ris-Orangis at Deauville.

A high-class juvenile, the four-year-old appeared rejuvenated by a close-season switch to Archie Watson, winning his first two outings for the Lambourn handler and grabbing the attention of Wathnan Racing in the process.

The Qatari operation acquired Shartash as part of their pre-Royal Ascot spending spree and he finished a respectable eighth in his first outing in Wathnan’s colours before making the trip to France last Sunday, where he was third in an all-British finish to that six-furlong event.

Only beaten half a length at Group Three level, his team are now content to “pick and choose” from the plethora of suitable assignments available, with a return to the Normandy coast for the Group One Prix Maurice de Gheest an option if ground conditions were favourable.

“We were delighted with Shartash,” said Wathnan’s racing adviser Richard Brown. “James (Doyle) was easy on him when his chance had gone at Ascot, so it was good to see him run a really nice race in what I think was a pretty solid Group Three.

“I just felt he would probably be better with a bit of cut in the ground, so we won’t rush him back on quick ground, we will bide our time now.

Archie Watson with Shartash at Haydock
Archie Watson with Shartash at Haydock (Ashley Iveson/PA)

“There’s plenty of options over six and seven furlongs in the second half of the season, so we will just take our time and pick and choose and wait for the ground with him.

“We will keep an eye on the Prix Maurice de Gheest, that is an obvious race for him over six and a half furlongs, but he won’t be running unless there is some give in the ground.”

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