Juddmonte International set to be next

Sir Michael Stoute’s dual Group One winner Poet's Word is likely to stay in training as a six-year-old.

With a date at York for the Juddmonte International looming, Poet’s Word has the chance of a Group One midsummer hat-trick, having defeated Cracksman in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and stablemate Crystal Ocean in the King George.

With a tilt at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe unlikely, the Irish Champion Stakes and then possibly the Breeders’ Cup are his objectives before a return to Dubai.

Second in the Sheema Classic in March this year, Bruce Raymond, racing manager to owner Saeed Suhail, has raised the possibility of an exciting raid on the Dubai World Cup next year.

“York is still on the agenda, as are a few of those nice races coming up, but York is what we are thinking,” said Raymond.

“There’s York and then the Irish Champion Stakes, but I don’t think the Arc is really on his agenda, maybe the Breeders’ Cup.

“I don’t think he’d want soft ground, so the Arc hasn’t ever really been in our thoughts.

“The owner would like to take him back to Dubai and I’m sure he’ll be in training next year.

“He’ll either run in the Sheema Classic again or the World Cup, which is very prestigious.”