'It's been extremely frustrating - most of our big guns have had issues' - Haggas rules unlucky Maljoom out of Royal Ascot

William Haggas was forced to admit defeat on Thursday in his battle to get exciting prospect Maljoom ready for Royal Ascot and has ruled him out of the Queen Anne Stakes, for which the colt was 8-1 third favourite despite not having run for nearly a year.

Maljoom won the German 2,000 Guineas last spring and was then beaten half a length when an unlucky-in-running fourth in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, only to miss the rest of the season.

The Queen Anne Stakes a week on Tuesday had been the first target for the Caravaggio colt but Haggas said: "He's not going to make it, sadly. He's been preparing and he's been getting there but he's just had a little setback again. It's a shame and I don't know yet where you'll see him next. I suppose the next realistic option for him is the Summer Mile at Ascot. It's been extremely frustrating this year because our big guns have had issues but that's the way it goes."