Passenger suffers fresh injury setback following York third

Sir Michael Stoute’s Passenger will again see his career interrupted after sustaining a condylar fracture during the Sky Bet York Stakes.

The talented Ulysses colt won the Huxley Stakes when returning to action at Chester earlier in the season and was set to head to Royal Ascot for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, before a cough scuppered that plan.

His next port of call was the Group Two Sky Bet York Stakes on the Knavesmire, where he started as the 9-4 joint-favourite under Richard Kingscote in a small but select field of four.

A slowly-run race did not appear to suit and it was Owen Burrows’ Alflaila who triumphed. But despite finishing only a length and a quarter behind in third, Passenger was found to have sustained an injury after the race.

Specifically, it is his right foreleg that carries the fracture, but he is stable and he will be treated after returning home to Newmarket.

Alan Cooper, racing manager to the Niarchos family’s Flaxman Stables, told the PA news agency: “Unfortunately, he has suffered a fracture to his cannon bone, he was pulled up safely after the winning post by Richard Kingscote.

“He is on his way home and he will be seen by veterinary surgeons, he is stable and he will be treated.

“It is a non-displaced fracture, so hopefully all will be well.”