Chrome a big doubt for Prince of Wales's A bruised foot looks set to rule American superstar California Chrome out of the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot on Wednesday. The Art Sherman-trained colt nearly pulled off the Holy Grail of American racing last year, the Triple Crown, coming up agonisingly short in the final leg. He has since been narrowly beaten in the Breeders' Cup Classic and finished second in the Dubai World Cup. The four-year-old has been lodging at the Newmarket base of trainer Rae Guest, who said: "He is not ruled out yet, but he has a bruised foot. Unless it is OK in the morning, which is doubtful, he won't go to Ascot. "He is going to be reassessed in the morning. He has had a vet put a hole in to let any poison there might be out, but if he can't get a shoe on in the morning he won't run. "We don't know how he did it. He was fine yesterday. He had a canter in front of me, Art and Alan (Sherman) and he came in sound, while he was fine last night. This morning when he walked out he was sore. "It is a shame for everyone involved as he had been working really well, but these things happen in racing." Jamie Spencer, meanwhile, has come in for the ride on The Grey Gatsby. Ryan Moore has been Kevin Ryan's first port of call for the four-year-old ever since he rode him to victory in the Dante Stakes at York just over a year ago. Moore was also on board for his wins in the French Derby and Irish Champion Stakes, but instead rides last year's Tercentenary Stakes winner Cannock Chase for Sir Michael Stoute. Spencer has ridden The Grey Gatsby twice before, when second in the Craven and 10th in the 2000 Guineas. Free Eagle is likely to go off favourite for Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen. The lightly-raced four-year-old has not been seen since finishing third in the Champion Stakes in October on just his fourth ever run. Australian challengers are no strangers to Ascot but they usually run in the sprints, not over 10 furlongs like Criterion, who beat Red Cadeaux back in April. The French challengers are Ectot, a winner of six of his eight races, and Gailo Chop, second in the Prix d'Ispahan last time out. There is even a Japanese runner in the shape of Spielberg, who won the Tenno Sho, one of the biggest races in his native land. John Gosden's Western Hymn has won the Gordon Richards and Brigadier Gerard Stakes this season, while David Simock's The Corsican is four from six and on an upward curve. The only horse not declared was Gosden's Eagle Top who runs in the Hardwicke Stakes later in the week.
