Favourite-backers watched on in horror as Lush Lashes was agonisingly denied by Aidan O’Brien’s Halfway To Heaven in the Blue Square Nassau Stakes at Goodwood.

PERHAPS it’s puristically disappointing but today’s King George can, readily, be boiled down to a two-horse race.

NOT even the brilliant Aidan O’Brien can be sure Duke Of Marmalade will stay the extra distance of the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

Not even the brilliant Aidan O’Brien can be sure Duke Of Marmalade will stay the extra distance of the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

DUKE Of Marmalade will face a maximum of nine rivals as he attempts a mile and a half for the first time in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

Soldier Of Fortune and New Approach are the most high-profile absentees following the latest forfeit stage for the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Although Henry Cecil has enjoyed a fair share of Group One success during his illustrious career, it has to be said a victory for Phoenix Tower in the Coral-Eclipse would have pleased the masses.

Henry Cecil’s duo Phoenix Tower and Multidimensional are among a field of nine declared for the Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown on Saturday.

HARADASUN and Sageburg lead a high-quality line-up for Tuesday’s Queen Anne Stakes, the opening event of the 2008 Royal Ascot meeting.

Haradasun and Sageburg lead a high-quality line-up for Tuesday's Queen Anne Stakes, the opening event of the 2008 Royal Ascot meeting.

HARADASUN will have his first run for Aidan O’Brien since leaving Australia when he faces 11 rivals in the Juddmonte Lockinge at Newbury tomorrow.

Literato is on course to make his first British start in Saturday’s Emirates Airline Champion Stakes at Newmarket.

US RANGER has been well supported for the Stan James 2000 Guineas following the news that favourite Teofilo has suffered a slight setback.

BOOKMAKERS were in the dark last evening over the likely participation or otherwise of the unbeaten Teofilo in the Stan James 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 5.

THERE’S absolutely no cause for optimism at Thurles this afternoon, on an eight-race programme which is just about as moderate as you can get.

AIDAN O’BRIEN has been left scrambling to find classic horses, following the decision to retire last year’s star two-year-old, Holy Roman Emperor, to stud.

Teofilo, unbeaten in five starts and officially rated the best two-year-old in Europe last season, tops 86 entries for the Stan James 2000 Guineas.

Aidan O’Brien has admitted he was “shell-shocked” at the decision to retire Holy Roman Emperor to stud at Coolmore to replace George Washington following the discovery that last year’s 2000 Guineas hero has fertility problems.

Teofilo has been cut all round for the Stan James 2000 Guineas by bookmakers today, with all the major firms removing Holy Roman Emperor from their ante-post markets on the Newmarket Classic.