Roger Varian reveals he no longer has horses owned by Amo Racing after King Of Steel departure

Roger Varian confirmed on Saturday that owners Amo Racing no longer have horses in his yard in Newmarket.

The announcement comes only days after Varian's stable star King Of Steel, owned by Kia Joorabchian's Amo operation, was ruled out for the summer when he was found to be lame after working on Tuesday.

Last season's Derby runner-up and Champion Stakes scorer had been set to warm up for the Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot in Thursday's Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown. 

King Of Steel left Varian's Carlburg Stables on Wednesday morning for what was described as a period of rehabilitation but Varian said on Saturday that to his knowledge King Of Steel will not be returning to his stable and that any remaining horses owned by Amo at Carlburg have departed. 

"I have no Amo horses in the yard at the moment," said Varian. "I'm not mud-slinging, I've got huge respect for Kia and we've been on a hell of a ride the last 12 months. I was grateful for the opportunity to train King Of Steel and a few others. I had a great opportunity, other people lose out and I've lost out before. It's an up-and-down game but we have to move on. 

"We're all sad about the situation. We all wanted to see King Of Steel next week at Sandown and it's a huge shame we're not going to be able to. He's not the only horse to have been injured this week – it's a tough game."

King Of Steel: won the Champion Stakes at Ascot last yearCredit: Edward Whitaker

The only horse Varian has saddled so far this season for Amo Racing has been Derby entry Mr Hampstead, who finished fourth in a novice at Newbury last month and third in a maiden at Chester this month. He also took control of Amo's Irish 1,000 Guineas entry Ornellaia from Dominic Ffrench Davis in March. 

Asked, as far as he knew, if King Of Steel was going to rejoin the yard, Varian added: "No, not as far as I know but you have to bear in mind I didn't train him as a two-year-old. David Loughnane, who was on the sidelines watching King Of Steel have all that fun last year, did. 

"His future is uncertain and he has to recover from the injury first and foremost. Before we worry about too many of the human sides of the story we have to think of the horse and think how disappointed the owner and Team Amo are – he's a horse who they were going to build their year around – and how disappointed I am and my team. He's a top horse who we were really hoping to build our summer around. 

"Everyone is disappointed, it's all very recent and a little bit raw and we're dealing with it."

Read more . . .

Roger Varian 'gutted' over injury to senior star King Of Steel 

'He's super talented' - Audience upstages stablemate Inspiral to spring 22-1 Lockinge upset 

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