Queen Anne hero Lord Glitters to miss repeat bid as O'Meara eyes later targets

Last season's Queen Anne winner Lord Glitters will not return to the scene of his stunning Group 1 success this month, with trainer David O'Meara revealing his stable star is recovering from a setback.

Lord Glitters sprang a 14-1 surprise in the first race of the royal meeting last year under Danny Tudhope and went on to contest the Sussex Stakes, Juddmonte International and QEII before finishing his season at the Breeders' Cup when ninth in the Mile.

Dubai was under consideration for Lord Glitters in the winter, but the injury he sustained meant he would not have travelled and Meydan's World Cup fixture ended up being cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Watch Lord Glitters land the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot

Speaking to the Racing Post as part of the stable tours series, O'Meara said: "He had a hold-up at the beginning of the year with a splint and he would have missed Dubai had it gone ahead. He'll miss the Queen Anne and will probably be ready for the second half of July."

David O'Meara greets Lord Glitters after his Queen Anne successCredit: Edward Whitaker

O'Meara already has various options in mind for Lord Glitters when the seven-year-old does return, adding: "That would bring in races like the Summer Mile at Ascot, the York Stakes and Strensall Stakes in August. He'll likely go back to Ascot for Champions Day and he looks like he retains all his enthusiasm and ability."

This year's Queen Anne Stakes will be worth £250,000, down from the £600,000 prize fund available last year, with prize-money levels at the fixture slashed due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

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