Marco Botti is planning a drop in distance with Folgaria after she performed below expectations in the French 1000 Guineas on Sunday, with the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot a potential target.

Unbeaten in Italy when trained by the Newmarket handler’s brother Stefano, the daughter of Due Diligence made a fine start to her career in Britain when landing the Fred Darling at Newbury in April.

With that form having been well advertised by the third-placed Elmalka’s subsequent success in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, hopes were high for Folgaria as she crossed the Channel in her bid for Classic glory, but she trailed home a well beaten 11th of 15 runners in a race Botti feels was not run to suit.

“It didn’t really work out for her and I think the ground was quick enough. Obviously it changed for the colts as they had that deluge of rain, but for the fillies it was definitely a touch too quick for her,” he said.

“The race itself didn’t really suit her, there wasn’t much pace and we were trying to ride her to get a mile and she was too keen and overraced. Going round the bend I wasn’t happy, you could see that she was doing too much and they were all on top of each other.

“I would just put a line through that race to be honest, she’s better than what she showed yesterday – nothing went right for her.

“I do question the mile, I think that stretched her a bit. I know she won in Italy over a mile, but it’s a different story when you’re running in a Group One in England or France.

“I do see her as a filly who wants to come back in trip to six or seven furlongs. I know the programme book doesn’t give many options for fillies, but I think at that level a mile doesn’t really suit her.”

Making future plans for Folgaria is complicated slightly by the fact Botti has another high-class filly for the same owners who appears to excel over seven furlongs in Great Generation, who on Saturday landed the Group Three Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes at Lingfield.

The trainer does though have the option of splitting his aces at Ascot, with the Jersey an option for Folgaria while Great Generation could be supplemented for the Commonwealth Cup.

Botti said: “It makes life a little bit more complicated as for both fillies seven furlongs is probably ideal and a mile is just too far.

“Both fillies probably have enough speed for six. The filly on Saturday did well and she probably would have been an unlucky loser if she didn’t win.

“The programme book doesn’t give many options for fillies over seven, but the Jersey could suit Folgaria as they’ll go quick over seven and we’ll have a think about Great Generation, I don’t think six furlongs at Ascot would be a problem but of course taking on the colts is a different thing.

“If we don’t go to Ascot with her there is the Summer Stakes at York in July, a Group Three for fillies only over six furlongs, or there’s the Prix Jean Prat over seven furlongs against the colts.

“She seems to come out of the race fine and we’ll just see what’s going to happen closer to Ascot, one good thing about supplementing is you can have a better idea what the ground is going to be like. You can sit and wait and make a decision close to the race.”