St Mark’s Basilica ruled out of York as Love steps in

St Mark’s Basilica, rated joint-highest in the world and set to be the star attraction at York this week, is out of tomorrow’s Juddmonte International Stakes after picking up an infection in a cut.

However, it is a measure of the strength in depth of Aidan O’brien’s stable that he is able to replace the French Derby and Eclipse-winning colt with the filly Love, a five-time Group One winner. Until first thing yesterday, she had been heading instead to Deauville on Sunday.

Explaining St Mark’s Basilica’s setback, O’brien said: “He was doing his canter yesterday morning when he lost a front shoe and it caught the front of his near-fore hind joint, his fetlock joint, and cut him.

“We did the bloods this morning and it showed that it had got infected. He won’t be running at York, and Love will be declared instead. She was supposed to go for the Prix Jean Romanet on Sunday. St Mark’s Basilica will go on antibiotics and the Irish Champion Stakes would be the obvious target now.”

Love is one of seven runners in tomorrow’s feature, worth £567,000 to the winner. They include Mishriff, third behind St Mark’s Basilica in the Eclipse on his return to British racing this year but one place ahead of Love in the King George and, perhaps most fascinating of all, Sussex Stakes winner Alcohol Free, who steps up to a mile and a quarter for the first time.

At Lingfield yesterday, Hayley Turner saved apprentice Hannah Fraser from a potentially nasty moment when her mount Critique ducked under the front of the stalls in the 1m4f handicap.

Seeing what was about to unfold, Turner told Fraser, having only her 11th ride under rules, to let go of the reins and get off, and eventually grabbed her as Critique began to break free. Turner went on to win the race on Sundayinmay.