Royal Ascot 2017 – Mutakayyef to miss the Lockinge and head to Royal Ascot for trainer William Haggas
Mutakayyef didn't handle the trip back from Dubai, where he finished fifth, and the Lockinge at Newbury will come too soon for him next month
TRAINER William Haggas has ruled Mutakayyef out of the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury and will instead aim for Royal Ascot.
Mutakayyef was last seen running out in Dubai at Meydan where he finished fifth in the Dubai Turf.
But Haggas reports his six-year-old did not handle the journey home very well.
Haggas said: "He wasn't probably good enough in Dubai, but when things go right for him he is a good horse.
"He took that journey quite badly unfortunately, so he won't make the Lockinge. We will try to run him in the Queen Anne if possible."
Dal Harraild could be another for the Royal meeting if he keeps improving after a fair return in the John Porter at the weekend.
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Haggas said: "He is a useful horse. The horse was too fresh and doing too much up the straight. He will come on a lot for that.
"We've obviously got options and I want to get him up in trip. While I would love to go to York, he may well go to Chester for the Ormonde Stakes, which I think would be good for him.
"He is going to be a good horse, whether he is quite Ascot Gold Cup material yet, I don't know, but he will win Group races over staying races in his conditions."
Muthmir got back to winning ways at Bath in a conditions race, his first win in well over a year, and will head for the Palace House Stakes at the Guineas meeting.
"He went home in August and had four months off and came back and won an awful race at Bath," said Haggas.
"He is different again and will come on and he will run in the Palace House. He has to have fast ground.
"Newmarket isn't his place but should get the fast ground he needs. He has had a run so he should be competitive."