Racing:Canford Cliffs has been ruled out of Saturday's Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot due to a dirty scope.
Richard Hannon's star three-year-old was set for the decider with French colt Makfi, with the score currently one apiece from their meetings in the 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes.
"The scope was marginal, but Canford Cliffs is now such a valuable commodity that you cannot take any chances so, having listened to veterinary advice from Mike O'Gorman, we have no option but to pull out," the trainer said.
"Everyone in the yard is absolutely gutted and we realise that it could well cost us the trainers' championship, but the welfare of the horse comes first and you need to be 100 per cent to go into a battle for a Group One.
"I must stress that the tracheal wash was not terrible, but the reading was disappointing and, though he'd probably be fine if there was another race coming up in a week or so, the fact is there is nothing left over a mile, just the Foret over seven furlongs.
"However, the great thing is that we have him in training for next year - he has done us proud this season, and he'll be back better than ever as a four-year-old."