All rosy in Carltons house

24 May 2011 - 09:24:47

John Warren would have no worries about dropping Derby favourite Carlton House back in distance after his bid for Epsom glory on June 4.

Sir Michael Stoute's colt, owned by The Queen, took a tried and tested route to the Classic by turning in a hugely impressive performance in Thursday's Dante Stakes at York, quickening up in style to beat Aidan O'Brien's Seville.

Warren is The Queen's racing manager and is looking forward to seeing the three-year-old step up to a mile and a half for the Classic, but feels he would not be inconvenienced about coming back to a mile and a quarter afterwards if connections choose.

"He's come out of the race really well and everything is on target for where we all know he's heading," said Warren.

"He's a horse who hasn't been overly pushed in his career and the way he looks and had improved since the spring condition-wise, you would think there should be some really good improvement in him. That is what we hope for.

"I think we'll learn a lot more after the Derby, but he did it so nicely over a mile and a quarter the other day and showed he's got that speed.

"I don't think we'd be frightened to go back to that trip, but at the moment all eyes are on the Derby and we will review it afterwards.

"Both his parents were 10-furlong horses, so it wouldn't surprise me if he was just as happy over a mile and a quarter as he will be over further."

With connections of astounding 2000 Guineas victor Frankel suggesting he could step up to an intermediate distance after running at Royal Ascot, there is a real possibility the two could be set for a clash somewhere down the line.

Of the prospect of a Frankel-Carlton House match-up, Warren added: "It would certainly be something for everyone to look forward to if it was ever to be. It would be interesting to see what would happen."