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Royal Ascot

Leading Royal Hunt Cup contender ruled out of royal meeting

Skukuza and Ryan Moore win the mile premier handicap a the Curragh on Saturday
Skukuza: will not run in the Royal Hunt Cup next weekCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Ed Dunlop has all but ruled his leading fancy Skukuza out of Wednesday’s Royal Hunt Cup on account of the likely fast conditions at next week's meeting.

The general 10-1 fourth favourite was initially promoted to favourite after running out an impressive winner of a Premier handicap at the Curragh last month.

In his absence, Dunlop may be without a runner at this year’s meeting. The trainer has saddled eight winners at Royal Ascot, including Group 1 wins with Trip To Paris in the Gold Cup and Ouija Board in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.

Ed Dunlop: 'Owners want that closeness with their horse, something to make them want to stay in the sport'
Ed Dunlop: has ruled out his leading Royal Hunt Cup fancy SkukuzaCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Skukuza finished runner-up in last year's Britannia Handicap on good to firm ground, but connections are keen to avoid similar conditions this time.

Dunlop said: “Unfortunately its unlikely Skukuza will be running at Royal Ascot because he needs some ease in the ground and looking at all the forecasts he’s not going to get it. They do a good job with the watering but it looks as if we are in for a dry week so we won’t be going and I don’t know if we will have a runner all week.”

Skukuza holds an entry in the Bunbury Cup at Newmarket's July festival, and Dunlop added: “He’s in at Newmarket but he’s also in a Group 3 in Germany so he could go there if they look like having some rain.”


Royal Hunt Cup (5.00 Royal Ascot, Wednesday)
Bet365: 5 My Cloud, 8 The Liffey, Volterra, 10 Skukuza, 12 Bullet Point, 16 Qirat, Roi De France, Treasure Time, 20 bar.


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Newmarket correspondent

Published on inRoyal Ascot

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