Cirrus Des Aigles wins last year's Coronation© Photo Healy Racing
Cirrus Des Aigles is unlikely to defend his crown in the Investec Coronation Cup at Epsom after breaking a shoe at Longchamp on Sunday.
Corine Barande-Barbe's multiple Group One winner finished last of four in Paris as the Freddy Head-trained Solow ran out a brilliant winner of the Prix d'Ispahan, but it was soon discovered the veteran had broken his off-fore shoe in half.
While the nine-year-old has not suffered any serious damage, Barande-Barbe is keen to bypass Epsom and instead target her pride and joy at the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on June 28.
Barande-Barbe said: "He seems fine this morning. We put new shoes on him and he is walking OK.
"I am disappointed, not in the horse but disappointed with the problem.
"Christophe (Soumillon) said he was flying down to the starting gate and he was very confident, but he said after half a furlong he didn't feel right. I think it must have happened just after the start.
"Cirrus was very prudent and careful during the race and it is almost as though he didn't run.
"I'm not keen on going back for the Coronation Cup. Last year he had the accident there, he is a very clever horse and I don't want to bother him.
"There is not much rain forecast either, so I don't think he will go to Epsom, but it is up the owner.
"I think he will probably go for the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. It is a Group One in France he can run in and he has not won it before, so it would be nice to do it.
"Otherwise we have the Prince of Wales's Stakes, but I think when the ground is quicker, he is better going over the longer distance (mile and a half) at Saint-Cloud."
