Talking Horses

Live updates by Chris Cook

Booooooo! No Rachel in New York

4.10pm: The Derby, once the most important Flat race in the world, would not even have been the most important race next Saturday if Rachel Alexandra had turned up in New York for the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of America's triple crown. Sadly for the sport, her owners decided late on Friday night to duck a rematch with Mine That Bird, the 50-1 Kentucky Derby winner who then chased her home in the Preakness.
Mine That Bird, whose Churchill Downs success was unfairly dismissed as a fluke, will be suited by the more galloping Belmont circuit and it is hard to argue with his status as odds-on favourite.

O'Brien's Derby plans taking shape

3.55pm Punters trying to puzzle out next Saturday's Derby can reckon without three of Aidan O'Brien's nine entries in the race. Malibu Bay, Johann Zoffany and Dante runner-up Freemantle are unlikely to run, according to Richard Henry, a spokesman for the Coolmore bloodstock operation that backs the stable.

"Aidan has got six horses for the Derby," Henry said, "with Age Of Aquarius, Black Bear Island, Masterofthehorse, Rip Van Winkle, Fame And Glory and Golden Sword all running. Our six jockeys, in no particular order, are Johnny Murtagh, Seamus Heffernan, Colm O'Donoghue, Pat Smullen, Richard Hughes and Ryan Moore."

Malibu Bay will go for the French Derby, where he will be joined by
stablemates Westphalia and Drumbeat, with Set Sail a possible for the
Chantilly race.

Freemantle and Johann Zoffany are "probable non-runners" at Epsom,
according to Henry. Both are more likely to go to Royal Ascot.

Ex-Greek Ialysos looks a serious talent

3.40pm Horse sense told you to look out for Ialysos, and right enough he was a 14-1 winner under William Buick in Haydock's opener, clocking a good time in the process. Alas for our headline tip, it seems Main Aim is still improving and he justified odds of 7-4 in the John of Gaunt, when Tariq trailed home in seventh.

Today's TV races by Ron Cox

Aim will have fans but Tariq is slumming it in this company

On the biggest betting day of the week Main Aim, a seven-length winner last time out and representing Sir Michael Stoute and Ryan Moore, is likely to be a warm order in the Timeform Jury Stakes at Haydock. He turned a Newbury handicap into a procession two weeks ago but could represent poor value on the step up to Group Three company today.

It might pay to take him on with Tariq (3.05), who, unlike Main Aim, drops down in class, having contested Group One races on his last four starts in Britain. All came over a mile and Tariq needed the run when sixth in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on the day Main Aim was making a mockery of his handicap mark.

Tariq is a seven-furlongs specialist – he is a Group Two winner at this trip – whereas Main Aim has shown his best form over six furlongs. It was a mighty effort on his return at Newbury and spectacular first-time-out winners often fail to show the same sparkle next time.

Haydock 2.05 There will be no hanging about here with the speedy front-runner Percolator in the line-up, and it is possible Royal Rock will get outpaced on this, his first run over five furlongs. However, Chris Wall's gelding travels strongly in his races over six furlongs and he looked much improved when cruising home by four lengths here last time.

Goodwood 2.20 Prominent the in ante-post betting for next month's Wokingham Handicap at Royal Ascot, High Standing certainly looked a sprinter to follow when winning with something to spare on his first start for William Haggas at Doncaster. A penalty for following up here will improve High Standing's chance of making the cut for the big handicap.

Haydock 2.35 A setback kept Clowance off the track following her good effort to be fourth in the Oaks last year, a performance all the more creditable as she failed to handle the track. Said to be in excellent shape now, Roger Charlton's filly can prove too sharp for Gravitation, whose strong suit is stamina.

Goodwood 2.50 An expensive purchase out of the Gary Moore stable, Crackentorp is unexposed after three runs, two of them successful. Entered for the Irish St Leger, he could turn out to be favourably handicapped on his first appearance for the Ralph Beckett yard.

York 3.15 The Godolphin three-year-olds may be struggling at present but their older horses are in good form and Friston Forest can add to the stable's two wins at the last meeting here. Formerly trained by André Fabre, the five-year-old looked a stayer of some note when beating his ­stablemate Veracity at Nad Al Sheba.

Goodwood 3.25 Just outpointed by General Eliott in a tactical affair at Ascot, Perfect Stride is taking a long time to reproduce the ability he shows at home on the racecourse but this looks his chance. It is significant that Sir Michael Stoute has left him in the Group One Queen Anne Stakes at the latest forfeit stage for Royal Ascot's opening race. Pure Poetry, seventh behind Sea The Stars in the 2,000 Guineas, aims to strike a blow for the Classic generation but only two three-year-olds have won this in the last 12 years.

York 3.45 Possibly at a disadvantage from his high draw in the course and distance sprint won by today's rival Internationaldebut last time, Cheveton ran a sound race to be a close third. Hamish McGonagall was a neck away fourth and there is unlikely to be much between these experienced handicappers again while there is better to come from Kaldoun Kingdom (8th), who was hampered in the closing stages.

Ron Cox's tip of the day

Amerigo 4.45 Haydock

After partnering Taqdeyr in the second race at York, Philip Robinson comes here for the ride on Amerigo. Michael Jarvis's stayer can make the stable jockey's journey worthwhile. Drawn widest of all in the Chester Cup, Amerigo ran a fine race behind Daraahem, going on well at the finish to take fifth spot. He has gone up 2lb in the ratings but gives the impression there is better to come.

Horse Sense

It's got to be Perfect in Goodwood rematch

Perfect Stride (3.25), touched off by General Eliott at Ascot last month, can be backed to take his revenge on the winner at Goodwood today. Sir Michael Stoute's useful colt looked in great shape when today's rider, Jamie Spencer, got acquainted with him on the Newmarket gallops in midweek.

Ialysos (2.05), who is unbeaten in seven races on all-weather surfaces in Greece, should not be underestimated on his first start for Luca Cumani at Haydock. The five-year-old has been showing plenty of dash in his work, including when partnered on occasions by Kieren Fallon.

Gravitation (2.35) has been working well ahead of her comeback run at Haydock. Willie Jarvis's filly should go well, though she will face stiff opposition from Clowance, who is reported in good order at Beckhampton. Wild Rhubarb (4.45), a progressive filly from the in-form Clive Cox stable, can prove to be a step ahead of the handicapper.

Shifting Star (2.20) is fancied for the opening race at Goodwood, which trainer Walter Swinburn won last year. Rakaan (3.55) can show the benefit of his promising Newbury effort, but the Richard Hannon newcomer Fremont looks a danger. Fremont's rider, Richard Hughes, goes on to Newbury in the evening, chiefly to team up with another well-regarded Hannon juvenile, Magic Lantern (6.45).

Seek N'Destroy (4.55) is a three-year-old on the upgrade, and Barry Hills' colt can get the better of Smart Endeavour at York.

Seen and heard

The humble origins of Lady Carole Bamford, a former air stewardess and now owner/breeder of Oaks favourite Sariska, are apparently still a source of great glee among Cotswolds toffs. They refer to her as "Doors To Manual", but the jibes may sound still more hollow if she leads in the winner of an Epsom Classic next Friday.

Colm McCormack, a promising amateur rider over jumps attached to the Keith Reveley stable, is in the process of gaining valuable experience in France with the powerful Guillaume Macaire yard. McCormack rode his first winner for Macaire last Sunday at Pompadour, a small track close to Macaire's La Palmyre base.

Betfair's Andrew Black, who has run the likes of Winker Watson, Hector Spectre, Maxwell Hawke, Pansy Potter and Bea Menace under the name of The Comic Strip Heroes, has borrowed yet another comic strip character for his two-year-old in training with Peter Chapple-Hyam. It is to be hoped that Wear Em Out Wilf does not take after the bizarre creation in Whizzer and Chips, where he earned the reputation as a "disaster area, a comic-strip Frank Spencer".