Gold-Fun Ruled Out of Royal Ascot Trip

Gold-Fun (Ire) (Le Vie dei Colori {GB}) will undergo surgery to remove chips in his right fore ankle and has therefore been removed from consideration for a trip to Royal Ascot next month, South China Morning Post reports. A two-time runner-up in the G1 Hong Kong Mile, the flashy chestnut has proved equally proficient over shorter trips this season, highlighted by a defeat of G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint hero Aerovelocity (NZ) (Pins {Aus}) in the Chairman's Sprint Prize going 1200 meters Feb. 15. He was also third to world joint top-rated horse Able Friend (Aus) (Shamardal) in defense of his title in the seven-furlong G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup Mar. 15. Gold-Fun had been entered for both the G1 King's Stand S. and the G1 Golden Jubilee S. “Sadly, he won't be going,” trainer Richard Gibson told SCMP. “Gold-Fun will have keyhole surgery to remove chips in his right fore ankle. He'll then have a good break before a preparation aimed at the Hong Kong Sprint.”