Portcullis plans yet to be decided after York

Portcullis may have starred in a famous treble for the King and Queen when remaining unbeaten at York on Friday, but an appearance at Royal Ascot is not certain for the exciting prospect.

The explosive Wood Ditton winner secured an across-the-card hat-trick for the royal colours when joining fellow John and Thady-Gosden trained Knavesmire runner Warrant Holder in the York winner’s enclosure, with Point Of Law also impressing at Newbury.

However, while Warrant Holder’s ticket to the summer’s marquee event has been secured, plans are still to be finalised for his more inexperienced Clarehaven stablemates.

“We’ll have a bit better idea (on running plans) later this week when we get our ducks in a row,” the King and Queen’s racing manager John Warren told the Press Association.

“With Warrant Holder we’ll just wait and see what the handicapper does and take a view whether he is a Wolferton horse or whether a handicap is still in play and we can look at the Duke of Edinburgh.

“The two young horses are still very much learning their trade and they were only making their second starts and learning on the job.

“For various reasons, one would love to have had one more run before the definitive Ascot plan is made, so we’re a little bit in no man’s land, but it will play itself out in the coming weeks.”

Portcullis earned rave reviews with his “blow away” debut at the Craven meeting and headed for his second outing with the lure of a St James’s Palace Stakes entry hovering against his name.

But an immediate move into the deep waters of Group One territory at Royal Ascot now looks unlikely and although an appearance at the meeting has not been ruled out, connections may bide their time with the son of Frankel who could flourish into a top operator.

Warren added: “Newmarket was a blow away performance from Portcullis, while at York things were not as smooth. He was green, he was on the wrong leg turning into the straight, his head was up and it was only in the last 100 yards he got his head down and knew what the job was about.

“It wasn’t visually impressive, but giving 6lb away is effectively six lengths and he still won.

“He’s in great hands and we’ll see how he comes out of it and how his next piece of work is and then attempt to get our heads around what the next plan will be.”

Warren went on: “It’s up for debate whether they are Royal Ascot horses, but all three of them are lovely horses and we think a lot of Point Of Law as well.

“They will all find their moments, but it could just be Ascot comes soon enough. They are three lovely horses to enjoy for the rest of the season and we have to remember there is life after Ascot.”