Martyn and Freddie Meade have bought a half-share in Dubai Mile and will campaign the colt with further Group 1 targets in mind, ahead of a potential stallion career at Manton Park Stud.
The Roaring Lion colt, formerly trained by Charlie Johnston, ended his juvenile campaign with a success in the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud over ten furlongs. A good fifth in the 2000 Guineas on seasonal reappearance, Dubai Mile is yet to find the frame in three starts as a three-year-old and needs a win to boost his commercial viability.
"The idea is we will campaign him for the rest of the season and maybe even next season if we need to, because he preferably needs to win a couple more, at least one and maybe two Group Ones," said co-trainer Martyn Meade.
"That's what we will be targeting him for, but at the moment we will be giving him a break.
"He's had quite a tough sort of campaign, with three races at the top level and inevitably that takes it out of them. You can't race in those Group Ones all the way through."
"The little I know about him, he will be pretty good on soft ground, as he showed in France. If we can campaign him towards the back end of the season, I think that would be our preference.
"It is all to do with distance. I don't think he proved himself as well as he might have done over a mile and a half and our thoughts will be to drop him back. On the face of it, while we have to assess him, we are thinking of changing his trip, shortening it up. A mile and a quarter will be his trip.
"Hopefully we can get a bit of soft ground at the end of the year and find a suitable race for him."
"It is lovely to have him, we're very pleased. He looks a nice horse.
"It is a strategic move as far as we are concerned and let's see how we go, but he needs to put a bit more on his CV before we can stamp him."
Manton Park Stud currently stand Aclaim, sire of 1000 Guineas heroine Cachet, and first-season sire Advertise.
