Rock ruled out of Ascot

Top Australian sprinter Fastnet Rock will miss Royal Ascot at York next week as he has not recovered from a bout of travel sickness following his arrival in England.

And connections are worried that the four-year-old may not even make the Darley July Cup at Newmarket in four weeks’ time.

“He’s not going to the Royal meeting. He’s still suffering from travel sickness and I can’t train him properly,” said trainer Paul Perry’s son Shannon, who is looking after the horse at Geoff Wragg’s Newmarket yard.

Fastnet Rock, owned by Sue Magnier, was put on a course of antibiotics in a bid to cure the problem and help get him ready for the King’s Stand Stakes and the Golden Jubilee Stakes, which the Perry stable won with Choisir in 2003.

“We will monitor him in the next seven to 10 days and hope that he improves to get him to the July Cup. If he doesn’t then we will have to call it off. The horse’s health comes first,” added Perry junior.