Charlie Appleby reveals Derby hero Adayar to miss planned Royal Ascot return

Last year’s Derby winner Adayar has been ruled out of the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Adayar has yet to return to action this term and was previously ruled out of next week’s DahlBury Coronation Cup at Epsom after a minor setback this month.

It had been hoped Adayar could reappear at the royal meeting but connections feel he needs more time to reach full fitness.

The four-year-old was 3-1 joint-favourite for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes alongside Thursday’s Brigadier Gerard Stakes scorer Bay Bridge. He was also entered in the Hardwicke Stakes.

Trainer Charlie Appleby said: “The team at Moulton Paddocks have decided to bypass RoyalAscot with Adayar. This is to give him more time to bounce back to full fitness following the minor setback which saw him taken out of the Coronation Cup."

Adam Kirby enjoyed Classic success on Adayar in the Derby before William Buick steered the son of Frankel to a second top-level victory in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.

Adayar finished fourth behind Torquator Tasso in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp and last ran when fifth in the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot in October.

He is a 5-1 shot for the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown on July 2, a race Appleby has landed with Hawkbill and Ghaiyyath, and has long-range entries in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on September 10 and the Arc on October 2.

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