No decision yet on Free Eagle's future plans Future plans for Free Eagle are fluid after connections were left slightly disappointed following Sunday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Winner of the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot on his seasonal reappearance, Dermot Weld's four-year-old was then involved in a controversial finish to the Irish Champion Stakes after being badly impeded by eventual winner Golden Horn. The team were looking forward to the rematch over a mile and a half at Longchamp, but on this occasion Golden Horn was an emphatic winner while Free Eagle had to make do with sixth place. Whether Free Eagle runs again this season has not yet been decided. Fiona Craig, breeding advisor to the owners Moyglare Stud, said: " I think we were all a bit disappointed he didn't finish a little bit closer yesterday. "He ran very well and I'm certainly not going to be critical of him, but the slow pace probably didn't help and Treve hung into him a little bit, although I don't think it made a huge difference. "The first, second and third were up there all the way and the fifth horse wasn't far back. The only ones to come behind were Treve (fourth) and Free Eagle and Pat (Smullen) felt two furlongs out he'd be right there. "He hasn't been the luckiest of horses, getting hurt as a three-year-old and then we all saw what happened at Leopardstown. We can't turn the clock back on that, unfortunately, but it does feel even more exasperating now. "I'm not sure what we'll do now. The horse arrived home before any of us last night as I think his flight was the only one that was on time! "I saw him before he left and he was in fine form, but we'll just see how he is in the next week or so and sit down and have a chat about it. "We're all a bit disappointed at the moment and it wasn't really satisfactory, but that's racing and you get over it in a few days. "Whatever happens, we'll do the right thing by the horse." Free Eagle's long-term future also remains up for discussion, Asked whether he could stay in training as a five-year-old, Craig said: " I can't really comment on that at the moment. That's something else that will need to be discussed. "He already has a place at the Irish National Stud, so it's just a question of whether he goes there at the end of this year or next year."
