Al Shaqab Racing's Zelzal (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) is making a good recovery from the EHV-1 outbreak that hit trainer Jean-Claude Rouget's Pau stable last month and is expected to make his seasonal debut in June.
Al Shaqab Racing Manager Harry Herbert said, “Zelzal was the first to be infected and thankfully he was the first to get over it and Jean-Claude says he is in very good form now, and if all goes according to plan, he will run in June. He will possibly be one of the first from that stable to get back on track.”
Zelzal, who has won four of six starts, won last year's G1 Prix Jean Prat and was last seen finishing third in the G1 Qatar Prix du Moulin de Longchamp in September.
Herbert said that with Al Shaqab's Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) set for the top mile contests in England, Zelzal will likely remain in France for the time being. He also issued an update on G2 Prix Hocquart winner Mekhtaal (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who was second in the G2 Prix d'Harcourt in early April.
“Mekhtaal was infected slightly after Zelzal but he is a grand horse and I'm not sure where we will go next with him, but he is fine,” he said.
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