Gulf out of Derby reckoning

Saturday’s Vodafone Derby at Epsom has been reduced to 18 runners following the withdrawal of Arabian Gulf.

Michael Stoute declared the Sadler’s Wells colt a non-runner after he met with a setback.

Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for Arabian Gulf’s owner Khalid Abdullah, said: “He’s got an infection in one of his joints and is not going to run. It’s not serious at all but enough to keep him out of the race – he will be fine in the long term.”