No Breeders' Cup for Laurens after Ascot disappointment says owner Dance

"We've come to the conclusion it was one race too many on Saturday. A few people questioned whether the ground was too soft, but that's definitely not the case.

"PJ [McDonald] said she was loving the ground for five furlongs, she was enjoying herself and giving him a good feel, but as soon as he asked her to lengthen she was empty."

Leopardstown Sat 15 September 2018 Laurens with John Dance and Lucy Burke after winning The Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron StakesPhoto.carolinenorris.ieCredit: Caroline Norris

Laurens is set to race on at four in 2019, but beyond that, whether her broodmare career is under Dance's supervision remains to be seen.

"She's so special, has taken us to places we couldn't have dreamed of going; emotionally it would be very hard to let her go," he said.

"Part of our way to alleviate financial damage is by breeding and we'd probably never get the chance to breed from a horse like her. One of the main reasons she's staying in training is so we don't yet have to decide whether to breed from her ourselves.

"We've flip-flopped between keeping her to breed or to sell her and reinvest into other horses. The figure that would make us sell, I don't think anyone would offer."

The highlight of Laurens' year was her victory in the Prix de Diane at Chantilly in June, while she also won the Sun Chariot, Matron Stakes and Prix Saint-Alary, having also landed the Fillies' Mile last season.

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