King George loses sparkle without the Classic duo

Ascot, without a

sponsor for next

week's King George

VI and Queen Elizabeth

Stakes, suffered

another blow when two of

the biggest names in the

prospective line-up fell by

the wayside yesterday.

First to go was Authorized,

when trainer Peter Chapple-

Hyam confirmed that the

Derby winner would not run. Indications that Aidan O'Brien's Irish Derby winner

Soldier Of Fortune will also

not take part leave the race

devoid of a viable representative

from the Classic

generation.

Scroll down to read more:

Ladbrokes, whose representative

Mike Dillon has his

ear close to events at the

O'Brien stable, make 2006

Irish Derby winner Dylan

Thomas 4-5 favourite.

Significantly,

they don't quote Soldier

Of Fortune, who won

The Curragh Classic this

month.

A Ladbrokes spokesman

said: "Dylan Thomas sets the

standard for the race and we

expect Scorpion to be the

perceived second string for

Aidan O'Brien."

French jockey Christophe

Soumillon, who rode Dylan

Thomas at Royal Ascot, will

not be able to ride this time

after picking up a nine-day

whip ban at Vichy.

Authorized is to be given

more time to recover from

his exertions when second

to Notnowcato in the

Eclipse.

Chapple-Hyam said: "He

will probably benefit from a

bit of a break. Regarding the

rest of his campaign, we will

build up with the Arc in

mind. If he doesn't go for the

Irish Champion Stakes we

could go for the Juddmonte

(at York)."