Mutamam is set to miss next month`s Royal Ascot meeting after picking up a serious stomach infection which has delayed his preparation.
But trainer Alec Stewart revealed today that he is hoping to get his top-class six-year-old ready for an autumn campaign which could culminate in another trip to America for the Breeders` Cup meeting.
Mutamam, owned by Hamdan Al Maktoum, finished an excellent fourth behind Kalanisi in last year`s Breeders` Cup Turf, but was ruled out of his intended first start this year in the Dubai Sheema Classic when picking up a slight injury.
But just as his preparation was coming back on course, the horse was then struck down again.
Stewart explained: 'He suffered a colic-related infection in his stomach which really knocked him back.
'We thought it was colic but there was no evidence of a problem in his intestine. However, the blood tests showed that there was an infection down there and he was very poorly for about 10 days.
'Thankfully he hasseemed to get over it quite quickly and is ready to resume full exercise.
'He is looking really well again.'
Stewart is now hoping to get the son of Darshaan ready for the Princess of Wales`s Stakes at Newmarket`s July meeting.
'To run him at Royal Ascot we would need to have started work with him which we haven`t so I will need to discuss things with Sheikh Hamdan, but I would have thought that Newmarket will be the starting point for his season.
'Obviously we have missed a lot of the season already but if he has a summer-autumn campaign then we`ve got to be looking at another trip to America as he ran so well there last year.'
Stewart also had news of the talented but wayward Maylane, who is set to make his seasonal bow at Leicester next month in a conditions event.
'He did his first piece of work this morning and we`re going to start him off at Leicester,' he reported.
'He had awful foot problems last season which my blacksmith and my vet have been working on together and his feet do look an awful lot better.'
