Harbinger is still unlikely to battle it out with new Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe favourite Fame and Glory (5/2 Winner or E/W) despite being ‘comfortable’ following surgery on the career-threatening fracture of his near-fore cannon bone.

The Highclere Thoroughbred Racing-owned colt, who was the recent impressive winner of the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes, suffered the leg injury during a routine spin on the gallops in Newmarket. And following an operation on the Sir Michael Stoute-trained son of Dansili, John Warren, co-owner of Highclere Stud, said: “He had a comfortable night. The surgery he had was straight forward and all of those things.

“Hopefully we will know more later this afternoon.”

Harbinger’s next race was scheduled to be in the Juddmonte International at York later this month. However with his absence from that meeting confirmed, Rip van Winkle has been promoted to favourite (11/8 Winner or E/W), while he is also set to miss the trip to France for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October.