INJURED MASAR OUT FOR SEASON
THE leg injury which forced Derby winner Masar to miss the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown has ended his season. But the Charlie Appleby-trained colt will remain in training in 2019. After a scan on Masar’s off foreleg, it was decided he needed two months’ rest which would have left no time to bring him back for autumn races. The Goldolphin horse has a softtissue injury but fears of a more serious fracture or tendon problem have been dispelled. Appleby said: ‘His Highness Sheik Mohammed wants Masar to have a four-year-old career so we can stop now and give him all the rest he needs now. ‘If we had been looking at races like the Arc this year, we would have been pushing on an injury and he does not need that. The best thing is rest. With time, we are confident he will be fine.’ Appleby confirmed that Masar will not return for the Dubai season early next year, adding: ‘We’ll be looking at next year and the Coronation Cup, the King George and the Arc.’ Masar has never been lame, according to Appleby, but suffered significant inflammation on his off foreleg. AIDAN O’BRIEN has indicated Kew Gardens, who on Saturday added the Group One Grand Prix de Paris to his win in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot, could run in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on July 28.