Ektihaam to go on a lay-off after a difficult race in the Prix Du Jockey Club
It looks like Ektihaam ran out of luck in the Group 1 Prix Du Jockey Club at Chantilly on 3rd June, 2012, where he was mounted by rider Paul Hanagan, as he faced a major setback on the track.
The three-year-old colt finished fifteenth among twenty runners, and it is reported that the race was tricky and the good to soft surface of the track wasn’t easy to race on.
Angus Gold, racing manager to owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, stated to the press that: “It was such a rough race. Paul (Hanagan) said in all his days riding it was the roughest race he'd ever been in."
It seems that Ektihaam’s troubled trip at Chantilly has taken its toll on the young runner, and there is a possibility that he goes on a break before racing again.
The King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot is still on the cards, but the young runner is most likely to take a break from racing.
Angus Gold further elaborated on Ektihaam’s race at Chantilly and stated that:
"If he happened to come out of it absolutely bouncing and in great form we'd still have that option, but he's had a rough experience and he's had to travel to France.
"There's every chance we'll have to give him a bit of a break depending on how he is, then we'll see what the options are and take it from there."
The son of Invincible Spirit, out of mare Liscune, has an impressive record with the exception of a few races. Out of his six starts, he has claimed three victories.
The bay colt delivered an impressive race at York on 17th May, 2012, where he teamed up with jockey, Tadhg O'Shea.
Under his command, the runner raced well for most parts of the race, but came ¾ of a length short to, Bonfire, in the Group 2 Betfred Dante Stakes.
The Roger Varian trained runner is bound to bounce back soon to the races, after he recovers from the travesty that took place at Chantilly.
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