Setback puts Albasheer Guineas run in doubt

Burrows’ runner being examined after recent issue.

Owen Burrows admits he is “going to be struggling” to have Albasheer ready for the Qipco 2000 Guineas after the colt suffered a setback.

The injury is currently under investigation, but Burrows feels the colts’ Classic at Newmarket on May 1 will come too soon.

“Unfortunately he’s had a little bit of a niggle. We’re just in the process of investigating exactly what is bothering him,” said the Lambourn handler.

“There are no immediate plans for him at the moment.

“He certainly won’t be making a Guineas trial – and I’d say it would be highly unlikely, depending on what we find, that he’d make the Guineas. We’re getting pretty close.

“It’s very recent, and we’re still in the investigating stages.”

Albasheer looked a potentially classy three-year-old, having made a winning racecourse debut at Doncaster in July before going on to finish second in the Champagne Stakes and sixth in the Dewhurst.

Burrows had also been happy with his progress over the winter.

“I had been very pleased with him, so it’s very disappointing and frustrating,” he said.

“Fingers crossed it’s nothing too serious – but with the timing of it, we’re going to be struggling.

“Ideally, the plan was to try for the Craven or the Greenham. He won’t be making them, and I won’t be rushing him just to make a Guineas.

“He’s a proper nice horse, (and) he’s going to want a bit of time. How much time, we don’t know yet.”

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