Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, Ascot:
Date: Saturday 25 September Time: 1615 BST Coverage: Racing from Ascot, BBC Two and BBC Sport website, 1350-1630 BST, Big race commentaries on BBC 5 Live

Canford Cliffs, ridden by Richard Hughes, edges out Rip Van Winkle in the Sussex Stakes at the magnificent Glorious Goodwood in July

Canford Cliffs has been ruled out of Saturday's feature race at Ascot, the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Richard Hannon's three-year-old has been absent since beating Aidan O'Brien's Rip Van Winkle in the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood in July.

He had been set to continue his rivalry with French colt Makfi but has been sidelined after a dirty scope.

Cape Blanco and Rio De La Plata are other absentees, and with eight going to post Makfi is now a clear favourite.

Canford Cliffs and Makfi have one win each from their two meetings this season.

The first of those came at the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on 1 May when the French horse, trained by Mikel Delzangles, took top spot and Canford could only finish third.

606: DEBATE What a shame, it was looking like a great race FamousWise

The British colt gained his revenge when he captured the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot a month later and Makfi trailed in a disappointing seventh.

Mafki was reportedly ill on that occasion but bounced back in style when leaving 10-time Group One winner Goldikova two-and-a half lengths behind him to win last month's Prix Jacques le Marois.

Last year's Queen Elizabeth II winner Rip Van Winkle, who won the Juddmonte International at York and was runner-up to stable companion Cape Blanco in the Irish Champion Stakes last time out, bids to become the first horse to win twice since it was made a Group One race 23 years ago.

Coral's David Stevens explained that there was a great deal of interest in the race when the three leading names were involved.

Canford Cliffs wins at Ascot

"We'd been keen to take on Canford Cliffs all week as we felt he faced his toughest task yet up against his 2000 Guineas conqueror, Makfi, as well as Rip Van Winkle," he said.

"The market suggested that Makfi could well have started favourite on Saturday anyway, but it's still extremely disappointing that the eagerly-anticipated showdown between the trio will not now take place."

Frankie Dettori, who made history at this meeting in 1996 by winning all seven races on the card, is expected to ride Poet's Voice.

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