Massaat faces lengthy spell on sidelines after suffering steback

Owen Burrows has revealed that former 2000 Guineas runner-up Massaat faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after meeting with a setback.

After having made a winning return last season in the Hungerford Stakes at Newbury, the five-year-old son of Teofilo finished third in the Prix du Moulin at Chantilly before finding only Limato too strong in what was to be his final start of the campaign in the Challenge Stakes at Newmarket in October.

But the Lambourn handler said: "Unfortunately Massaat has met with a setback and he is back at Shadwell. We won't be seeing him on a track any time soon.

"He won a Group Two last year, which was great, and I was looking forward to try and grabbing a Group One with him this year having finished second in the 2016 2000 Guineas, and the Dewhurst the year before, but unfortunately that is not likely to be.

"He has won a Group Two, which is great, but it is not easy finding horses like him."