Carroll keeps options open for on-song Justanotherbottle

The four-year-old produced a career-best effort at Goodwood and was only denied by the Jason Watson-inspired Gifted Master in a photo finish.

Though Carroll is contemplating the Symphony Group Handicap at York’s forthcoming Ebor festival, he is keen to give Justanotherbottle another crack at winning a major sprint handicap.

“He’s come out of the race fine and we’re looking at a race at the Ebor meeting for him, but nothing is definite yet,” said the Malton trainer.

“He’ll get an entry in the Ayr Gold Cup, which is likely to be his main target, and he’ll have one in the Portland at Doncaster, but I don’t think he’ll do both as they are close together.

“It was gutting last week. It looked like he had it and, without taking anything away from the winner, the only time he must have been in front was right on the line.

“He’s still progressing and the whole family get better with age and he’s doing that. So if everything is right he’ll go to York over five and a half furlongs, the same trip as the Portland. It was his best run. The two of them had it between them from a long way out.”

Meanwhile Royal Ascot heroine Main Edition is among a field of seven declared for the Group Three Sweet Solera Stakes at Newmarket tomorrow.

The Mark Johnston-trained filly has to carry a 3lb penalty for winning the Albany Stakes at the flagship meeting for the Middleham trainer. She will face an old adversary in Charlie Appleby’s La Pelosa, who was only beaten a neck by her at Royal Ascot. The pair clashed again in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket’s July meeting when they were both hampered in a rough race.

Clive Cox will give Heartache the chance to show her worth in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York in a fortnight’s time.

He has not lost any faith in the filly who came to prominence last year thanks to high-profile victories at Royal Ascot and also Doncaster.

She has been unplaced in all three starts this term, the latest coming in the King George Stakes at Goodwood where she was down the field behind the brilliant Battaash.