Next step in Ancient Egypt campaign subject to discussion

Charlie Johnston is keeping plans for Ancient Egypt close to his chest, with options in Ireland or further afield being considered.

The Frankel colt won on his seasonal reappearance in the Listed Newmarket Stakes and after finishing down the field on ground not to his liking in the Derby was narrowly beaten into second in both the King Edward VII Stakes at Ascot and Grand Prix de Paris.

He then made his first trip outside of Europe for the Christophe Clement Turf Stakes at Saratoga, where he finished two and a half lengths away in a race won by Gorge Boughey’s Survie.

Now connections are weighing up an assignment at the Irish Champions Festival in the Kilternan Stakes or whether to head across the Atlantic for the Canadian International at Woodbine on October 3.

Johnston said: “He’s a horse that has been campaigned aggressively this year with plenty of success, albeit it in defeat, particularly at Ascot and Paris. He has shown that he is a top-class mile-and-a-half horse on fast ground.

“We’re slightly undecided on what the back-end of the year is going to look like for him and whether we stay closer to home with him in something like the Kilternan Stakes or there is the option for him to travel again and something like the Canadian International will be on his radar for later in the year.

“It’s still a little bit undecided with him for the autumn, (but) he’s come out of his trip to Saratoga well and we’ll be looking forward to getting him back out again in the not too distant future.”

The Middleham trainer added: “Ascot was tough, especially for Kia (Joorabchian) and the Amo team, on such an important week and we get him very close there and in Paris a couple of weeks later he was in front everywhere bar the line.

“For those races he’s got a tremendous amount of credit and he’s a horse the Amo team are looking forward to for next year as well. It’s horses like him you really need in the yard.”

Meanwhile, Venetian Lace is unlikely to head across the Irish Sea with a target of her own in Canada next weekend, while Johnston is also likely to avoid Ireland with Timeforshowcasing and head straight to ParisLongchamp for the Prix de l’Opera.

He added: “Venetian Lace is going to go to Canada next weekend for the E.P. Taylor. Timeforshowcasing has been a phenomenal filly for me this season and ran well in the Prix Jean et Louis Romanet. It’s not impossible she could go to Ireland (for the Moyglare “Jewels” Blandford Stakes), but we’re probably leaning to her going straight to the Opera on Arc weekend.”