Aidan O'Brien did not have a runner at Royal Ascot yesterday. In a statement yesterday the Ballydoyle trainer said: "We regret that our horses Desert Fox and African Skimmer, which were due to run in the Britannia Handicap and Coventry Stakes respectively at Royal Ascot today, will be unable to run as the horses are unable to travel to England due to a technical fault with the aircraft that was due to fly them from Ireland today."

This is the second time this month O'Brien's horses have experienced difficulties in getting to England. His three Vodafone Derby horses, King Of Kings, Second Empire and Saratoga Springs had been involved in a pre-race scare on the morning of the race when their intended flight to Southampton was scuppered because the plane due to carry them was fog-bound in mainland Europe.

As for future plans O'Brien said: "Travel arrangements will be made to suit the requirements of the horses involved."