Dance Design will miss tomorrow's Esat Digifone Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, Stan Cosgrove, manager of the Moyglare Stud, announced yesterday.

Successful on her first three outings this season - including the Pretty Polly Stakes for the second year running - the Dermot Weld-trained daughter of Sadler's Wells has been a shade below her best on her last two starts.

"She's in really top form at the moment - couldn't be better. That wasn't her true running in Germany or America," he said.

"It's a real shame because with Desert King having a pacemaker, she wouldn't have had to make it. But our concern was that she might have too hard a race against Pilsudski and Desert King and we want to keep her fresh.

"Three fillies' races in America are under consideration including the Breeders' Cup and the Yellow Ribbon Stakes at Santa Anita."

Dance Design was due to be ridden by Michael Kinane, and the filly's absence now allows Kinane to be re-united with regular partner Pilsudski.