Connections believe that the ground conditions will affect Lake Forest’s future racing

Lake Forest’s future racing plans will hinge on the ground conditions following a commendable effort in defeat at the Hackwood Stakes in Newbury.

Having won the Gimcrack as a two-year-old, the chestnut colt made his return to the track this year, heading directly to Royal Ascot. 

In his first outing of the season, he faced a challenging field in the Group One Commonwealth Cup, where he finished a strong second under Tom Marquand, just behind Inisherin.

Last weekend, Lake Forest tackled the Hackwood at Newbury, dropping to Group Three level but facing the challenge of competing against older horses rather than his peers.

Among his challengers were seasoned sprinters like Regional, the reigning Sprint Cup champion and King Charles III Stakes runner-up, along with various others boasting strong Group credentials.

While Elite Status ultimately took the victory, Lake Forest finished just half a length behind, overcoming significant ground lost in the later stages.

Several potential options are now being considered for the colt, trained by William Haggas and co-owned by Ian McAleavy and Tony Bloom, the owner of Brighton & Hove Albion.