Duke of Marmalade could be seen in Essex before America

Top Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien has decided to withdraw Duke of Marmalade from the all-weather Breeders' Cup warm-up meeting at Great Leighs.

The Essex course, which opened in April, is running a trials meeting for the big American card on Saturday.

O'Brien had considered giving the five-time Group One-winner a prep race on the artificial surface ahead of the Breeders' Cup Classic in October.

Duke Of Marmalade is now set to run at Dundalk or in the Arc instead.

A similar event takes place in Ireland on 3 October, while he has an outside chance of running in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe two days later.

Stablemate Rip Van Winkle, one of the early favourites for next year's 2000 Guineas, will also swerve the Great Leighs meeting. He had been a possible for the Thoroughbred Open Juvenile over a mile.