Desert Crown's King George Bid in Flux After Setback

Cazoo Derby In Memory of Lester Piggott (G1) winner Desert Crown 's rematch with Westover  in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) at Ascot is in doubt after the Sir Michael Stoute-trained colt was revealed to have suffered a setback.

Owner Saeed Suhail's colt was due to work on Thursday morning but that key gallop has been called off.

Bruce Raymond, racing manager for Suhail, said on Wednesday: "It's in the foot, it's not a joint and it's not a tendon, so hopefully it's not too bad.

"I think if it were a lesser horse we'd just leave him in the box, but because of who he is they're being extra cautious and will check him tomorrow and scan the foot.

"In my opinion he's fit enough to be able to miss a few days. I don't know what Michael (Stoute) thinks about it but he's a very fit horse, although he wouldn't want to miss too much and he wants to be working on Saturday, that's for sure."

Desert Crown gave Stoute his sixth Derby win in emphatic fashion at Epsom in June, when Westover finished an unlucky third, and bypassed a crack at the Irish equivalent to wait for Ascot.

All had seemed well as recently as last Saturday when Richard Kingscote rode the unbeaten colt in a piece of work on the Cambridge Road Polytrack where he worked a mile with his usual lead horse Solid Stone .