Trainer Jean-Claude Rouget has abandoned plans for last year's European Horse of the Year Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) to make his long-awaited return in the G2 Sky Bet Stakes at York later this month. The Group 2 contest on July 29 had been seen as an ideal preparation for the G1 Juddmonte International on Aug. 23, but after the 4-year-old worked at Clairefontaine racecourse on Saturday, Rouget is now looking towards a comeback at Deauville on Aug. 15.
Almanzor has not been seen since beating G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Champion S. at Ascot last October, having previously won the G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown.
Speaking to Equidia in France, Rouget said, “He has never been particularly demonstrative in his work. But you could see he was rusty and that he didn't finish very fast. He worked as you would expect for a horse that hasn't done anything since his win at Ascot. I really am a long way behind with his preparation. Because of that I am no longer thinking of the end of July for his first run but rather the G3 Prix Gontaut-Biron on Aug. 15. It doesn't change the rest of the programme and he will go to the Irish Champion S. and then the Arc.”
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