Ken Condon © Photo Healy Racing
Ken Condon is to drop Celtic Beauty down in grade following her disappointing effort in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket.
The daughter of No Nay Never failed to repeat the form she showed to finish second in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot, and came home last of seven behind Raffle Prize after never really being in the hunt.
Her under-par display remains a mystery, although Condon suspects the fast ground and the track might have been major contributory factors.
“She disappointed us at Newmarket,” said the County Kildare trainer.
“Nothing really particular has come to light, but (jockey) Billy (Lee) was never happy — and it could be, even though she’s by No Nay Never, she might not have been suited by the very firm ground.”
Celtic Beauty did not look at ease throughout.
Condon added: “Billy reported she never let down on it and it looked like that.
“She was never travelling with the ease she did at Ascot. We’re not quite sure — but it certainly wasn’t her true run.
“Fast ground and the unique track the July course is may be combined to just put her off her game. For whatever reason, it didn’t happen for her.
“Hopefully she’ll come back to herself. We’re going to take her back into maiden company in a few weeks maybe, and see if we can go from there again.”
Condon will wait for conditions to ease before his four-time Group winner Success Days runs next, in search of a first victory since the York Stakes two years ago.
“He’s very well and remains in very good form,” he said.
“He ran well in Chester and he ran very nicely in Longchamp.
“The ground had just dried out by the time the race came about — but he ran very well.”
Condon will stay patient until Success Days has the ground he prefers.
“He’ll be entered for races like the Rose of Lancaster (at Haydock),” he added.
“But he’ll have a few chances in the autumn when he will have his favoured soft ground, hopefully.
“We’d love to give him the opportunity to win another stakes race if we could. We’ll be trying hard to do it.”
