Star older horse Palace Pier and his talented younger opponent Poetic Flare will not clash at Goodwood next week.
John and Thady Gosden have scrapped plans to send Palace Pier for next Wednesday's Group 1 Qatar Sussex Stakes, as he has not been 100 per cent since his success at Royal Ascot.
After taking the Queen Anne Stakes at odds of just 2-7f under Frankie Dettori, the colt developed a blood disorder.
The Gosdens believe he will not be back to full fitness to take on Poetic Flare, a runaway four-and-a-quarter length winner of the St James's Palace Stakes at the royal meeting.
Next week's race at the Sussex Downs track is due to be Jim Bolger's charge's first outside his age group.
Gosden told the Racing Post : “Palace Pier had a blood disorder after his win in the Queen Anne and it’s taken some time to come right. He’s now back in full training but the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood will come too soon for him. He will therefore go straight to the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville on August 15.”
Get the latest Qatar Sussex Stakes odds here
Before his triumph in the Royal Ascot opener, Palace Pier became the world’s highest-rated racehorse when toying with his Lockinge Stakes rivals at Newbury.
But he was recently overtaken by St Mark’s Basilica at the top of the table, following his Coral Eclipse exploits.
Connections have decided against stepping Palace Pier up to ten furlongs at this stage, as the Juddmonte International, over 1m 2f, comes just three days after his French target.
