Whitaker, winner of 14 major championship medals, including Olympic silver at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, pulled both his entered horses, Ingliston Twister and VIking V, from Hickstead's Queen Elizabeth II Cup and the Speed Classic on Saturday.
"City often appear to lack enthusiasm when Tevez isn't in the side, " observed Rosler, who scored 50 goals in 153 games for City and since retiring as a player has manager Norwegian sides Lillestrom, Viking and Molde.