NATIONAL Stakes winner Desert King is to miss this weekend's Grand Criterium in France to contest the Dewhurst Stakes on October 18th instead. Trainer Aidan O'Brien is to re-route the colt to Newmarket in a bid to win the Group One contest for owner Michael Tabor.
Tabor was expected to be represented by Entrepreneur, trained by Michael Stoute, but the highly-rated colt, a recent winner at Chester, is unlikely to race again this season.
O'Brien has confirmed he is aiming sprinter Check The Band at Saturday's Cornwallis Stakes at Ascot.
Meanwhile, Mick Easterby should enliven proceedings at York today when he looks set for a visit to the winner's enclosure. The larger-than-life trainer has a deserved reputation for shrewdness and has found the ideal opportunity for Stuffed in the Newington Hotel York Racegoers Handicap.
Stuffed has looked to have the makings of a fair sprinter ever since he landed a gamble in a seller at Thirsk as a two-year-old.
He has improved with virtually every race since and landed another touch in a big field on the same course this April.
Easterby has given the gelding a deserved tilt at a big prize on his last two starts only to find the luck of the draw against him.
In the Eagle Lane Handicap at the Ebor meeting here, Stuffed ran a fine race on the unfavoured inside of the track to finish 10th behind Options Open.
And when tried in blinkers in the Ayr Silver Cup last time he did very well to get into contention from the disadvantageous side only to weaken as his exertions told in the closing stages.
Stuffed can make it third time lucky with his sights lowered slightly in today's 0-80 event. He is on a winning mark at present and retains the blinkers which appeared to improve his performance at Ayr.
Snow Partridge's debut second at Ascot makes him very difficult to oppose in the Constant Security Median Auction Maiden.
He split Musheer and Monza first time out. a fine effort considering the winner has since been placed in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster and the third was first past the post in a Group Three event at Longchamp on Saturday.
There seems no reason to doubt the form, with the first three pulling fully 10 lengths clear of the rest at Ascot, and Snow Partridge looks set to go one place better here.
Pat Eddery and Frankie Dettori bypass York for Nottingham where each should pick up at least one winner.
Eddery can collect the second division of the Notts County Maiden on the ex-American Torremolinos, who has shown useful form on two outings to date in Britain.
Dettori looks just the man to end the hard-do-win-with Miss Prism's frustrating run of second places in the Magpies' Handicap.
