Ebor Festival or France next for Go Bears Go
- Scott Allen
- 9 August 2021
Connections for Go Bears Go are weighing up whether to target the Group One Prix Morny or Group Two Gimcrack Stakes following his third place finish in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh.
Successful on his Ascot debut in early May, the Kodi Bear colt was beaten a head in the Norfolk Stakes at the Royal meeting before going one better in the Group Two Railway Stakes at the Curragh in June.
Go Bears Go was favourite to successfully graduate to Group One level over the same course and distance in Sunday's Keeneland Phoenix Stakes, but had to make do with minor honours in third behind fellow British raider Ebro River.
While proud of his stable star's effort, trainer Dave Loughnane feels a number of factors meant he was not at his very best.
He said: "He's done nothing wrong and lost nothing in defeat.
"I think we learnt a number of things on the day. Firstly, six weeks is just too long for him between his runs - he seems to appreciate a bit more racing.
"Secondly, we had slight concerns about the ground. He won on soft ground first time out, but he's just a better horse on a quick surface.
"He was also drawn out on a wing on his own a little bit and was kind of in no man's land for part of the race. I think having a bit of cover might have just benefited us a bit more.
"At the end of the day he was beaten a length on his first start in a Group One, so you couldn't be disappointed."
Ground conditions will dictate whether Go Bears Go heads to France for his next start or lines up at York's Ebor meeting.
"He's a Group One horse, whether he won yesterday or not. Yesterday wasn't our day, but I have no doubt in my mind we'll be winning a Group One very soon with him," Loughnane added.
"We have a couple of options. There's the Prix Morny at Deauville in a couple of weeks' time, and the Gimcrack in York is also an option.
"He'd have a 3lb penalty in the Gimcrack, with it being a Group Two, but that wouldn't bother us. It will all depend on where the quicker ground is.
"The ground looked pretty soft in Deauville yesterday, but the weather does look pretty good between now and the Morny. You never know in France as they do seem to water the tracks a lot and we're not going to go there unless it's quick ground."
