TRAINER Martyn Meade is not giving up on Eminent after his disappointing run in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown on Saturday.

In a messy renewal of the race, Eminent pulled too hard and even tried to bite one of his rivals.

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Despite hitting the front in the home straight he eventually faded into fifth place behind winner Ulysses. 

Meade said: "He seems all right. He's got a couple of puncture wounds on a hind leg and he's a little bit stiff, but it's nothing very serious and we live to fight another day.

"It was obviously quite a rough race and in hindsight maybe the ground was a little bit too quick for him. He was very keen and didn't really let himself down on the ground.

"Taj Mahal came across them and it ended up a bit of a muddling race, but I think a couple of others were interfered with more than we were and at the end of the day we were beaten.

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"I think his immaturity didn't help him either. He's not as mature as the other three-year-olds in the race."

Meade is planning to give his stable star a mid-season break before bringing him back to action later in the campaign.

"He's had quite a hard campaign, so I think we'll give him a break now and hopefully he'll show us what he can really do when the ground eases later in the season.

"I've not made any real plans. I'll just see how he comes along.

"If he were to have a growth spurt and we felt he needed plenty of time I could leave him until Ascot (Champions Day, October).

"If I felt he wanted another run there is a Group 2 at Deauville in August that might be suitable if the ground is right.

"I've said all along he'll be better next year. I think he'll be a brilliant four-year-old."

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