Charming Thought (blue)© Photo Healy Racing
Connections of Charming Thought are hoping last year's Middle Park winner will be able to make the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot despite missing the first few weeks of the season.
The Godolphin-owned colt suffered a setback that ruled him out of the Qipco 2000 Guineas, but trainer Charlie Appleby believes there will still be plenty of time for Charming Thought to make his mark as a three-year-old.
"Any setback's untimely, unfortunately, and he's going to miss the next six weeks, but there is plenty of racing throughout the summer and going into the autumn," the Newmarket trainer told At The Races.
"We know he's a good horse and I'm not going to press any panic buttons.
"We're going to give him the time that's needed and hopefully we'll see the horse we're all very hopeful of seeing in the summer.
"When he won the Middle Park, he did his best work towards the end. It was only when he hit the rising ground he got on top of Ivawood.
"The way he has developed through the course of the winter, he has strengthened up well, but he has got a lot of natural speed.
"I still wouldn't be bold enough to say he will definitely be a miler, but hopefully he has got the mentality to give himself every chance to get a mile.
"The St James's Palace Stakes will definitely be a target and we will obviously try to get a run in before Ascot. We will just see how the horse is progressing over the next few weeks.
"Wherever he is going to end up he is going to be very exciting for us for the forthcoming season."
