Connections of Foundation have suggested that concentration problems were to blame for his poor display in Sunday’s French Derby.
The three-year-old, trained by John Gosden, was sent off the 4/1 favourite at Chantilly but never got into the race and finished last of the 16 runners.
It was an unexpected performance as the son of Zoffany had been working well on the gallops and went to France with high hopes of glory.
But it was not to be and Harry Herbert, racing manager for owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, feels it was a mental issue with last year’s Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes winner.
“It was just an absolute head-scratcher,” he said. “The horse was in terrific form and he had worked well coming into the race. Frankie (Dettori) called me after doing some work on him the other week and he was incredibly excited.
“He just got very ‘shouty’ and didn’t concentrate in the race. Frankie said that he has known other horses to do that around Chantilly as it is a funny track.
“His head was in a good place but he just didn’t engage. It was just a concentration issue as I don’t think you can put it down to the ground too much.”
