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Harbinger has been hailed as “one of the all-time greats” after injury forced connections to announce the colt’s retirement from racing.

The four-year-old colt became the highest-rated Flat horse in the world following his breathtaking 11-length triumph in last month’s King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.

But less than a fortnight before his next intended target, the Juddmonte International at York on August 17, Harbinger fractured his near-fore cannon bone on the gallops in Newmarket on Saturday.

The son of Dansili underwent surgery on Saturday evening, but connections felt it was too much of a risk to return the Sir Michael Stoute inmate to the racecourse.

A decision on a potential stud career has yet to be confirmed.

Harry Herbert, racing manager for Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, said in a statement issued on behalf of the colt’s owners, the Admiral Rous Syndicate: “It is with regret that it has been decided to retire Harbinger from racing.

“Thanks to the professionalism of the veterinary surgeons, Bruce Bladon of O’Gorman Slater & Main, Andrew Bathe of Rossdale & Partners and Antony Clements of Baker & McVeigh, the operation undertaken at Rossdales Hospital has been successful.

“We are pleased to report that the horse is recovering well. The decision to retire Harbinger is based on the welfare of the horse which is paramount. The owners, for whom this is very sad, are naturally sorry that their great horse has had his career cut short.

“In winning the Hardwicke Stakes so impressively and then producing one of the greatest performances of all time to win the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes by 11 lengths in record time, Harbinger has confirmed himself as one of the all-time greats.”

Dar Re Mi has been ruled out of Saturday’s King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot after suffering a bruised foot.

John Gosden’s three-time Group One winner was due to tackle Derby hero Workforce as well as the talented Harbinger in the Betfair-sponsored contest but has been declared a non-runner.

Gosden’s racing secretary Peter Shoemark said: “She has bruised her foot and unfortunately that means she will be unable to run. It’s just unfortunate that it has come so close to the race but she will be absolutely fine. It’s not ideal but we’ll look forward now and the Yorkshire Oaks could be her next objective.”

Jeremy Noseda has warned Rebel Soldier is not a certain runner in the valuable John Smith’s Cup at York on Saturday.

The lightly-raced three-year-old is favourite in most ante-post lists thanks to a convincing success over the course and distance last month, but the Newmarket trainer rates his prospects of taking part as no better than 50-50.

“There are various reasons and I’d like to say to anyone please don’t at this stage put anything on him. It’s 50-50 at very best,” Noseda told At The Races.

“My concerns are he is a horse I feel potentially has a big future and we are only just going out on the road to where he could end up.

“To run in this race is, for an inexperienced, quite immature three-year-old taking on those good, hard-knocking handicappers, a big transition. I’m not sure if he’s quite mentally ready.

“There are other issues in my mind. There’s the ground. I don’t know if I want to run him on very quick ground, of which there is a likelihood it could be. He’s a big horse.

“And also at this point I don’t believe I can secure a jockey of the calibre I would like to ride him. That might sound very critical, but it’s just how I feel.”

He went on: “The ‘Magnet Cup’ is a great race and the purse is huge. If it were a £50,000 race I may not have even entered him, or I would be saying he was a non-runner now. There is an attraction to the race, but there are other things involved.

“Unless something changes – ground, jockey availability – it is looking less likely. I will have a chat to Fiona Shaw and Earle Mack (owner). We will talk it through.”

Ed Dunlop reports that Fareer is more likely to head for a Listed race at Chester on Saturday rather than take his chance at York.

William Buick has needed to wait a while, but in this Saturday’s Coral-Eclipse he will finally get his second chance to ride Dar Re Mi.

John Gosden’s mare, owned by Andrew Lloyd Webber, has already mixed it with the very best in middle-distance company and is second favourite behind Twice Over for the Sandown Group One.

Fifth to Sea The Stars in last year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and third to Conduit in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, Dar Re Mi returned this year with victory in the Dubai Sheema Classic.

Rising star Buick had not long been appointed stable jockey to the powerful Gosden operation and netting the near-£2million contest was a dream start for the partnership in late March.

Dar Re Mi has missed a couple of options and steps back onto the course against the likes of Prince of Wales’s Stakes runner-up Twice Over and Zacinto, who steps up from a mile for the first time.

Buick said: “She’s a stable star, an exceptional filly. What she did in Dubai was top class and it was a great experience for me.

“She is back down to a mile and a quarter for the first time in a while but I think she has a good chance.”

Kieren Fallon has been booked by Mark Johnston to ride Jukebox Jury, who was well behind Dar Re Mi in Dubai and has struggled in other domestic Group One events despite thriving abroad.

Fallon has won the Eclipse twice before, aboard Medicean in 2001 and Oratorio in 2005.

“Jukebox Jury may have finished one place ahead of Twice Over in last year’s Coral-Eclipse, but the betting suggests that Kieren Fallon will need to be at his very best to confirm that running on Saturday,” said Coral’s David Stevens.

Twice Over will spearhead a double-pronged raid on Saturday’s Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown for owner Khalid Abdullah.

Henry Cecil’s five-year-old will be joined by Sir Michael Stoute’s Zacinto, giving Abdullah a strong hand as he searches for more Group One glory in what has already been a hugely successful season thanks to Special Duty, Workforce and Byword.

Twice Over gave him a one-two at Royal Ascot by chasing home Byword and connections hope he can go one better at the weekend, with Cecil giving him the green light to take his chance on the ground.

“The horse is in good form. He doesn’t want any jar in the ground but Andrew Cooper (clerk of the course) is well aware of that so we expect good ground for him on Saturday,” said Teddy Grimthorpe, Abdullah’s racing manager.

“It was a cracking run at Ascot. He got shuffled back. He likes to be ridden relatively prominently and by the time he got out and got going, it was too late. Henry has brought him back tremendously well. The horse looks in great shape now and let’s hope he can go on.”

Zacinto showed more of his old sparkle when fourth to Goldikova in the Queen Anne Stakes and steps up to 10 furlongs for the first time.

Grimthorpe added on At The Races: “Sir Michael seems very pleased. His run in the Queen Anne showed he was back on track. In the back of Sir Michael’s mind has been the fact he might need to step up to a mile and a quarter and pretty soon after the Queen Anne, Ryan Moore agreed.

“He would need to run to the form from the QEII last year against Rip Van Winkle to be competitive in this. There is plenty of stamina in his pedigree.”

Aidan O’Brien has nominated Irish 2000 Guineas third and French Derby fifth Viscount Nelson as his leading contender from the six Ballydoyle entries.

He said: “Viscount Nelson is our main runner and it is possible we may run something else. Beethoven might also run, but I doubt any of the others will with Fencing Master going to go for a mile-and-a-half race at Longchamp and Steinbeck being kept back for a Group race at the Curragh.”

Dubai Sheema Classic winner Dar Re Mi features among 13 remaining entries in the Coral-Eclipse on Saturday.

John Gosden’s five-year-old has not raced on British soil since beating Sariska in the Yorkshire Oaks last August but has since finished fifth in the Arc, third in the Breeders’ Cup Turf and tasted glory on World Cup night at Meydan.

Aidan O’Brien has six possible runners as he seeks a fifth success in the Sandown showpiece. Royal Ascot disappointment Steinbeck could be joined by Ballydoyle stablemates Beethoven, Bright Horizon, Encompassing, Fencing Master and Viscount Nelson.

Connections of Mawatheeq will be hoping for an improved performance after he was well beaten on his Ascot reappearance, while Henry Cecil’s Twice Over could bid for a second Group One win following his narrow defeat in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes.

Jukebox Jury, Sri Putra, Zacinto and Chabal complete the list.