Fragile Desert Crown misses King George with leg infection

Desert Crown will miss Saturday's King George VI And Queen Elizabeth II Qipco Stakes at Ascot due to a leg infection.

The 2022 Derby winner, who was off with an ankle injury for a year following his Epsom triumph, was beaten on his return by Hukum in the Brigadier Gerard at Sandown in May.

Michael Stoute’s charge had been working well in the build-up to a clash with that rival at Ascot and was also set to take on this year’s Derby one-two Auguste Rodin and King Of Steel, along with the high-class filly Emily Upjohn in a mouthwatering renewal of the mile-and-a-half contest.

However, the four-year-old will now be rerouted to next month’s Juddmonte International Stakes at York.

Bruce Raymond, racing manager to the colt’s owner Saeed Suhail, said: "Desert Crown doesn’t run, he has got a leg infection.

"The plan is to go to York, but that is as much as I know."