Two-time Group 1 winner Shaquille will take part in a key racecourse gallop next week before a decision is made regarding his Champions Day participation.
Winner of the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, Shaquille followed up with an emphatic victory against older rivals in the Group 1 July Cup at Newmarket. Having missed the break on both occasions, trainer Julie Camacho ensured Shaquille underwent stalls training with Gary Witheford prior to his run in the Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock Park.
Although the three-year-old showed some reluctance to enter the stalls, he broke on terms with the field but faded dramatically in the final two furlongs to finish last of the sixteen runners.
"He's fine, we're just taking it one step at a time," said Steve Brown, Julie Camacho's husband and assistant.
"He worked on Saturday and we were pleased with him, he'll work again this week and the following week we'll go away and have a racecourse gallop somewhere.
"Nothing is decided yet, that will be just to take him to a different environment and see how he handles it and to get him back on a racecourse, get the blood flowing a little bit and then we'll see from there.
"It's disappointing that we haven't found an absolute reason that he was so below form at Haydock but as I always say, sometimes you just don't have an answer. We might like to think we do, but sometimes we just don't.
"I've slightly taken the view that it was just too bad to be true unfortunately. Whilst we were all devastated on the day, the only thing we can do is regroup and look forward."
Shaquille is generally available at 6/1 for the British Champions Sprint Stakes on 21 October.
