Discourse Out For Season After Training Setback

A weekend that saw his three-year-olds Dubai Prince and Casamento return from lay-offs to offer hope of better things to come over the last two months of the Flat season in Britain, also saw trainer Mahmood al Zarooni announce a setback for his unbeaten juvenile filly Discourse, meaning it is highly unlikely that the daughter of Street Cry will be seen again this season, writes Elliot Slater.

Expected to take all the beating in the Group 1 Shadwell Fillies Mile at Newmarket on September 23, Discourse met with the undisclosed injury that has ruled her out of the contest and prompted her owners, Godolphin, to supplement stable companion Lyric of Light at a cost of £15,000, ensuring that they will be represented in a race that has gone their way four times in the last seven years. Those looking for Betfair horseracing tips will be wondering if her replacement can really cut the mustard in the event.

Although she still has an entry in the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp on 'Arc' day, October 2, most observers don't expect to see the smart filly until next term and will hope she trains on to a similar standard to that which saw her gain two wins from her two outings this season. Starting off on the July course at Newmarket, Discourse proved a short-head too strong for her very useful stable companion Gamilati, who subsequently went on to land the Group 2 Cherry Hinton Stakes over the same course and distance.

Stepped up to seven furlong for her second outing, Discourse was sent off 5/2 favourite in the horse betting or the Group 3 Sweet Solera Stakes and duly obliged in tremendous fashion, blasting her rivals away to score by an easy four-and-a-half-lengths from the decent Lily's Angel. Currently a best priced 8/1 second-favourite in the ante-post list for next year's 1000 Guineas, Discourse remains a filly of tremendous potential and it is to be hoped that she returns to action fully recovered from her undisclosed injury.