Prague has Epsom target following Lockinge defection

Prague could be rerouted to Epsom on Derby day after being ruled out of this weekend’s BoyleSports Lockinge Stakes due to a high temperature.

Dylan Cunha’s stable star was poised to make his comeback in Saturday’s Newbury Group One, but was declared a non-runner on Friday morning.

“He just had a temperature and he will be fine and probably be back cantering tomorrow, but he just can’t run and you can’t take a chance with a temperature, not in this league anyway,” said Cunha.

“We’ve taken two out in the last two weeks already like this and it’s just one of those things and bugs go around at this time of year, but he will be back.”

Prague holds an entry for the curtain-raising Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot next month, but the Phantom House Stables handler is first eyeing getting the five-year-old back in action in the Betfred Diomed Stakes on June 7 before loftier assignments are considered.

Cunha added: “He will be fine and we might get him out at Epsom on Derby day in the Diomed.

“We’ll probably go to Epsom and then we’ll take it from there. It’s frustrating for a small yard to miss such a race as the Lockinge, but it is what it is and there’s nothing we can do.”

Cunha is also looking forward to new recruit Valley Of The Kings hitting the track having arrived in Newmarket from the handler’s native South Africa.

He said: “He’s unraced and he looks like a lovely horse and moves nicely.

“We’ve had him going up Warren Hill and he arrived pretty fit, so we hope he will be out in the next four weeks or so.”