Cirrus still on-course for the King George Trainer Corine Barande-Barbe is confident Cirrus Des Aigles will be in "much better condition" for next month's King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot following a disappointing return to action at Saint-Cloud. Officially the highest-rated Flat horse in training, having chased home the mighty Frankel in last October's Champion Stakes, the seven-year-old made his comeback over a mile and a half in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on Sunday. Although he travelled powerfully for much of the journey under Olivier Peslier, Cirrus Des Aigles weakened in the straight and passed the post a well-beaten fifth behind German challenger Novellist. Barande-Barbe is delighted to report her stable star in fine fettle and is looking forward to seeing her charge return to Britain for Ascot's midsummer showpiece on July 27. The French trainer said: "He is great this morning. He rolled in his box, went for a walk and was standing up on his back legs and fighting. Races seem to give him a lot of energy. "There was no pace at the beginning of the race. The German pacemaker (Lateran Accord) had to be ridden to go to the front and Cirrus was too concerned with what he was doing and could never get into the right rhythm. "It was also his first run over the distance in over a year - since he won the Dubai Sheema Classic. "I didn't have much choice as if I had run him over a much shorter distance, it would not have been the right preparation for the King George. "The King George is still the plan. I think he will improve a lot for the run and he will make a few steps between now and then. "He will be in much better condition at Ascot."
