John Leeper set for a summer holiday as connections ponder autumn options

John Leeper is to enjoy a mid-season break away from Ed Dunlop's Newmarket yard as connections ponder their next move after the son of Frankel disappointed in a Listed contest at Sandown on Friday.

The three-year-old was having his fourth race in a little over two months when finishing only third of five runners behind Euchen Glen in the Gala Stakes over a mile and a quarter.

Dunlop said on Tuesday: "We're sending John Leeper on a little holiday today to freshen him up for the autumn. He's had four relatively quick races so hopefully this will do him good as he seemed to sulk a bit at Sandown and that wasn't his true running."

The son of Dunlop's dual Oaks winner Snow Fairy had previously finished a disappointing ninth behind Adayar in the Derby under last-minute replacement Frankie Dettori.

John Leeper: impressed in the Fairway Stakes at Newmarket before running in the DerbyCredit: Hugh Routledge

Earlier in the season, John Leeper won a novice event at Newcastle in April by four lengths before beating subsequent Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes runner-up Tasman Bay in the Listed Fairway Stakes at Newmarket the following month.

On the strength of that, the Cristina Patino-owned colt was sent off 8-1 joint-third favourite at Epsom but could never land a blow.

Dunlop added: "It was a funny race [at Sandown] as the leader went haring off and then fell in a heap but John Leeper didn't finish as we know he can do. He only had one race as a two-year-old so hopefully has a big future ahead of him."

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