Ante-post favourite So You Think is lame and will not run in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown on Saturday where 10 runners will face the starter.
Favourite ruled out of showpiece contest
Ante-post favourite So You Think is lame and will not run in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown on Saturday, trainer Aidan O'Brien's wife, Anne-Marie, told Twitter.
Ballydoyle's giant six-year-old was aiming to land back-to-back renewals of the Group One over a mile and a quarter, but has now been sidelined.
This was also due to be So You Think's final run before being retired to stud in his native Australia.
Anne-Marie O'Brien tweeted on Thursday morning: "So You Think was found to be lame in his stable a short time ago and will not run in the Eclipse on Saturday."
So You Think had been in outstanding form this season with consecutive Group One victories in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh and the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Ten Runners
Sandown's feature, which has attracted 10 runners, will see the return to the track of Dante Stakes scorer Bonfire, who was disappointing in the Epsom Derby, and Godolphin's Dubai World Cup winner Monterosso.
Monterosso's trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni is also responsible for City Style.
Sheikh Mohammed's powerful outfit have also supplemented the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Farhh, who was a slightly unlucky third behind So You Think at Royal Ascot.
Nathaniel, last season's King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner, could make a belated seasonal bow although John Gosden has warned that the four-year-old colt will only run if the ground is suitable.
The Newmarket handler is also wary of giving Nathaniel too hard a race before he heads back to Ascot for the King George on July 21.
Big Factor
He told
At The Races: "Normally there is three weeks between the Eclipse and the King George, but this year there is only two.
"That is the big factor playing on my mind because if you get a hard race in the Eclipse on your first run of the year it's a little tough to say, 'I'll be back for the King George'.
"At this stage I'd be mindful of that fact.
"We might decide not to run, we may have a racecourse gallop and go straight to the King George."
Twice Over, winner of the Eclipse two years ago, takes the plunge for Sir Henry Cecil and Khalid Abdullah.
The owner's silks will also be sported by the Roger Charlton-trained Cityscape, who was so impressive in the Dubai Duty Free at Meydan in March.
Eclipse regular Sri Putra has again been given the go-ahead by Roger Varian,
As has the Brian Meehan-trained Cogito, even though connections are concerned by the possibility of testing ground.
Italian import Crackerjack King, the mount of Ryan Moore, is the curve-ball contender of the field as he has his first start for Newmarket-based handler Marco Botti.
