Dupont to miss Curragh outing

Dupont will not be taking up his entry in the Goffs International at the Curragh at the weekend.

William Haggas`s three-year-old has been on the upgrade all season and was desperately unlucky not to be third in the St James`s Palace Stakes after being badly hampered by Landseer a furlong out.

That was bad luck for connections of the Zafonic colt, who had been supplemented for the Royal Ascot Group One after landing the Italian and German 2000 Guineas.

And the form of his Cologne success was given a major boost when runner-up Next Desert came out and won the German Derby at the weekend.

'He`s not going to the Curragh,' Haggas said today. 'I don`t know where I`m going with him yet, I just want to give him a bit of a break.

'He`s been on the go since late last year and he`s not going to last the season if we keep going to the well too often.

'Most people present (at Ascot) believe he was third-best and I was disappointed that the stewards didn`t acknowledge that, but there you go. They didn`t go fast enough for him, he wanted a stronger gallop.'

The Newmarket trainer was pleased to see the German form franked by the Andreas Schutz-trained runner, and added: 'Andreas said after the race that he thought his was very good.'

One possible option for Dupont could be the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood on July 31, for which he does hold an entry.