'The x-ray showed nothing' - initial veterinary checks fail to pinpoint injury after Haatem's late withdrawal from Marois

Haatem, a late withdrawal before the start of Sunday's Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois, returned to Richard Hannon's yard in Wiltshire on Monday with initial veterinary checks failing to pinpoint any injury.

The Royal Ascot winner was withdrawn after rider James Doyle felt something was amiss with his mount on the way to post but an x-ray taken immediately after the race returned clear, although he will continue to be monitored by Hannon and his team before future plans are formulated.

"We x-rayed him straight after the race and that showed nothing so there doesn't seem to be anything too serious," said Richard Brown, racing and bloodstock adviser to Haatem's owners Wathnan Racing on Monday morning.

"We managed to get him back on a horsebox at 1am this morning to be back at Richard's yard late morning. We'll give him a thorough going over but I think he must have banged himself going out on to the course. That's only speculation and we'll take absolutely no chances with him."

Third in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket and a narrow runner-up to stablemate Rosallion in the Irish 2,000 Guineas in May, Haatem fended off 18 rivals to win the Jersey Stakes at Ascot and was among the leading fancies for the Prix Jacques le Marois before his withdrawal.

"It was a strange and disappointing one but that's the game unfortunately," Brown added. "James said he just took a few odd steps and just wasn't happy, and we're never going to take a risk with any horse.

"We've had no conversation about his next step and that will be one to have with the owners first."

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