CHURCHILL is likely to swerve the Prix Jacques le Marois at at Deauville on Sunday in preference for a trip to York later in the month.

The dual Guineas winner was a late withdrawal from the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood last Wednesday, due to the testing conditions, but he had been in the frame to head to France this weekend. But trainer Aidan O'Brien is now favouring an assault on the Juddmonte International at York on August 23.

He said: "We are looking at York with Churchill. It is not written in stone, but we are looking at going up to a mile and a quarter with him. The plan was to go to Goodwood and then go up to a mile and a quarter after that.

"If we were to go to France this week then we might not get a chance to go up to a mile and a quarter. If York went well then he may go on to Leopardstown (Irish Champion Stakes)."

MATRON STAKES

Charlie Appleby will drop Wuheida back down in trip for the Group 1 Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron Stakes at Leopardstown on September 9.

The Newmarket handler will aim the daughter of Dubawi at the mile feature after she failed to see out the trip in the Preis der Diana - German Oaks over three furlongs farther at Dusseldorf on Sunday.

He told www.godolphin.com: "What we learned in Germany on Sunday is that she doesn't stay that trip. But, having said that, the first two home (Lacazar and Megera) are both nice fillies and may be very smart.

"The next logical step is to drop Wuheida back in distance to one mile in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown on September 9 before taking her to the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, over nine furlongs, at Keeneland in mid-October."

FABRE COLTS

Andre Fabre is likely to run three in Sunday's Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville but they will not include his Royal Ascot winner Le Brivido.

Narrowly touched off by Brametot in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains – the who has strong claims to be the best three-year-old colt in training – Le Brivido dropped to seven furlongs at Ascot and just got home from Spirit Of Valor.

Unfortunately he as encountered a minor problem which will keep him off the track until next month.

"Le Brivido has suffered a setback, so he won't be able to run in August," said Fabre. "He should be back in time for the Moulin (September 10)."

From his seven entries Fabre will run Al Wukair, Inns Of Court and Trais Flours.

Al Wukair, considered by some as unlucky in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket when third to Churchill, has recovered from his own minor issue to finish second in a Group 3 last time out.

"Al Wukair ran okay last time, but he'll be a lot fitter this week, he was slowly away and always up against it as he was short of work," said Fabre.

"Trais Flours was supposed to run at Goodwood, but the ground was too soft. He was second in the Jean Prat, but that was a funny race. He might not have won, but should definitely have been closer. This race shouldn't be like that."

GOODWOOD SHOCK

Andrew Balding has earmarked the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot as a target later in the season for Here Comes When.

The seven-year-old defied his advancing years when claiming the biggest success of his career at Goodwood on Wednesday with a 20/1 shock in the Sussex Stakes.

Although immediate plans remain fluid for the son of Danehill Dancer, the Kingsclere handler will look towards the one-mile Group 1 on Qipco Champions Day as the long-term aim.

He said: "We will sit down and have a think about plans, but the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes would be in the thinking for later on. He has been great since the race and has come out of it well."