'She didn't get the trip under those conditions' - fierce pace does for Inspiral but John Gosden backs her to bounce back

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Inspiral's late switch from the Queen Anne to the Prince of Wales's Stakes failed to pay dividends as last season's Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner was unable to land a blow from off the pace when finishing six and three-quarter lengths behind Auguste Rodin in sixth.

Having thought she may benefit from stepping beyond a mile when making the late decision to target the Prince of Wales's, joint-trainer John Gosden felt Inspiral lacked the stamina required over a searching ten furlongs at Ascot, while rider Kieran Shoemark said his partner was missing her sparkle.

"They've gone very hard over a stiff mile and a quarter and it's caught her out," said Gosden. "The Santa Anita mile and a quarter is very easy and they went slow [in the Breeders' Cup], but she's got caught out on stamina here.

"She came with a run and then flattened in the last furlong. You could just tell it was a little bit much going that pace over a mile and a quarter here."

Drawn widest of all in stall ten, Gosden said the plan was always to drop Inspiral in, while he talked down any suggestions of retirement for the six-time Group 1 winner.

Aidan O'Brien: saw August Rodin return to Group 1-winning waysCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

He added: "You've got no chance drawn ten and you've got to drop across. She's slow out anyhow, but the last furlong told me everything and she didn't get the trip under those conditions. We'll see how she is, but there's no reason you can't go back to racing against fillies again."

Shoemark, in his first season as number-one rider to the Gosdens, backed Inspiral to bounce back, but feels she is below her imperious best at present.

"She was slowly away and they went a fierce pace, but she's better than that," said the rider. "I still don't think she's quite right. She almost doesn't look quite right yet and is taking longer than we thought.

"I think that fierce, relentless pace almost pulled the guts out of her a bit. I thought she came good turning in and I wasn't going to kick her in the guts too soon, but the last furlong was a long one. She'll be back."

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