ANDRE Fabre insists the defection of Too Darn Hot from the Qipco 2000 Guineas will not have a bearing on Persian King’s ultimate destination – but Newmarket is highly unlikely except in the event of a downpour.

The withdrawal of the ante-post favourite has seen some bookmakers quote Persian King as low as 7/2 second-favourite behind the new market leader, Aidan O’Brien’s Ten Sovereigns.

However, master trainer Fabre’s current plan is to keep Persian King at home for the Poule d’Essai des Poulains at ParisLongchamp on May 12th, unless there is a significant change in the ground at Newmarket.

Persian King won the Autumn Stakes at Newmarket in October, beating O’Brien’s Magna Grecia who subsequently landed the Group 1 Futurity Trophy at Doncaster.

Fabre’s three-year-old easily won on his reappearance, beating stable companion Epic Hero by five lengths.

IMPRESSIVE

“Too Darn Hot not running doesn’t make a difference, really,” said Fabre.

“I’ve made my decision already, the only factor which would make me change my mind is if we got a change in the weather. If it started to rain for a whole week at Newmarket I might think again but it doesn’t look like it will.

“He’ll run in the Poulains first and then the Prix du Jockey Club, which is always the race I’ve thought of for him but he can certainly run in the Poulains as well.

“He was impressive the other day, he made the others look ordinary which is the mark of a good horse. To be totally satisfied he would have had to win by 20 lengths!

“Epic Hero just didn’t stay a mile so he will go back to seven furlongs. There is a Group 1 over seven furlongs at Deauville in July and that will now be his aim.”

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