RICHARD Hannon revealed Estidhkaar suffered a hairline fracture of a hock following his disappointing run in the Dewhurst Stakes earlier this month.

Having completed a hat-trick with victory in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster, the Dark Angel colt was a hot favourite for his Group One debut at Newmarket, but came home a well-beaten fourth behind Belardo.

But the Everleigh and Herridge handler told his website, www.richardhannonracing.co.uk: "Estidhkaar has a small hairline fracture of his hock.

"We felt something had to be wrong in the Dewhurst, because Paul Hanagan had rung me after he had worked the Sunday before and said how well the horse had gone.

"However, he did not move well going to post at Newmarket and then didn't travel well in the race, which is not like him, so we suspected that all was not right, especially as he hadn't been keen on leaving the stalls.

"Estidhkaar will have between four to six weeks of box-rest before going on the walker, but it is nothing major and he will be back next season."