British trio miss Chantilly action due to aircraft malfunction

Travel problems caused havoc for some of Newmarket's international-raiding contingent on Sunday with Ted Durcan, Sir Michael Stoute and William Buick all missing action at Chantilly due to an aircraft malfunction.

A leaking fuel tank caused their flight to be cancelled shortly after take-off - with Durcan missing the ride on Just Glamorous, winner of the Group 3 Prix du Petit Couvert, and Midterm, who was second in the Group 2 Prix Niel.

Charlie Appleby, who was also on the flight, managed to organise a later trip to France to see Endless Time finish second in the Group 1 Prix Vermeille under Mickael Barzalona, deputising for Buick, who did make it in time to ride Dutch Connection in the Prix du Moulin.

Durcan said: “We flew out from Cambridge but we didn't get too far before we were diverted to land as the pilot realised one of the fuel tanks was leaking. We had no choice but to cancel the flight and it was too late for most of us to organise another one over there as we were in the early races.