Head reveals virus affected his stable

France: Freddie Head has revealed that his Chantilly stable has been afflicted by a virus in the first half of the season, when the trainer has suffered a string of high-profile disappointments.

Although Goldikova brought the Head team right back to centre stage with her Falmouth Stakes triumph on Wednesday,the trainer's horses have generally not been firing on all cylinders with the likes of Naaqoos and Marchand D'Or among those who have struggled for form.

Head's travails have been in stark contrast to 2008, when he saddled a number ofGroup 1 winners and he is now hoping Goldikova's return to form heralds a late-season spree.

"Yes I have had a virus like a lot of other people in Chantilly," the trainer said on Friday. "It's been everywhere. Some people have been hit worse than others but last year I won my first Group 1 in the July Cup so I'm already ahead of that.

"Naaqoos has been affected," he went on. "That's why he didn't run in the Prix Jean Prat last Sunday.

"He's in the Sussex Stakes but we won't go for that. I'm considering the Maurice de Gheest and Jacques Le Marois for him but I've got no preference yet."