White Birch has been ruled out of Saturday’s Coral-Eclipse Stakes.
The grey defeated 2023 Derby winner Auguste Rodin on his last start in May and was due to meet this year’s winner of the Epsom Classic, City Of Troy, at Sandown.
Having been ruled out of a rematch with Auguste Rodin at Royal Ascot due to an unsatisfactory blood test, doubts remained about his readiness for the Eclipse.
Connections had warned he would only be declared if his blood results were satisfactory after he exercised on Wednesday.
Trainer Joseph Murphy’s son George told the Racing Post that his blood test was not “100 percent perfect” and the colt would not take part in the £750,000 race.
White Birch had been the 5-1 second favourite and after he was ruled out Coral cut City Of Troy to 2-5 (from 1-2) and shortened Dancing Gemini and Ghostwriter to 7-1 ahead of Luxembourg on 8-1.
Dancing Gemin’s trainer Roger Teal said: “That’s quite sad news for connections. Maybe not so sad for us but he will be a big loss to the race, that’s for sure.”
Coral spokesperson David Stevens said: “It’s obviously disappointing for all concerned that White Birch will not be lining up in Saturday’s big race, and he would have been the chief market rival to City Of Troy, but in his absence, the Derby winner is now 2-5 favourite to complete the big race double.”
