Dylan Thomas has jumped to the top of the betting for the Juddmonte International at York next week after Aidan O'Brien indicated the King George winner would be his number one contender in a mouth-watering clash with Authorized and Notnowcato on Tuesday.
The older horse is a general 2 to 1 market leader for a potential epic that could open up a significant week for the champion Irish trainer, who heads Michael Stoute by €885,000 at the top of the British trainers' championship.
As expected, O'Brien left in Peeping Fawn and Alexandrova for Wednesday's Yorkshire Oaks at yesterday's forfeit stage and both those Group One-winning fillies were joined by their stable companion Uimhir A Haon.
Their potential opposition includes the Goodwood Cup winner Allegretto, who could drop back in trip, but Peeping Fawn is expected to start a red-hot favourite.
O'Brien has also left six entries among the 49 that remain in the Totesport Ebor on Wednesday. The six, headed by the Queens Vase winner Mahler, also include Acapulco and Honolulu.
Peeping Fawn's jockey John Murtagh was out of luck on three rides during a flying visit to Deauville yesterday.
Murtagh was on the French Oaks-placed Mrs Lindsay in the Group Three Prix Minerve over an extended mile and a half, but after making much of the running, the pair faded to sixth behind the André Fabre-trained winner, Synopsis.
Murtagh was also out of the money on his two other rides.
A dispute between the bookmakers' association and the new Dundalk racecourse still shows no signs of being resolved ahead of Sunday week's opening of Ireland's first all-weather track.
A call by the Irish National Bookmakers' Association for their members to boycott the new racecourse's opening day because of a dispute over the allocation of pitches has had little impact on the Dundalk management, and the track's chief executive, Jim Martin, has said he was confident some bookmakers would be at the track in nine days' time.
The bookmakers' association yesterday said they were "amazed" at Martin's comments, which came after negotiations between the two sides broke down last week.
The bookmakers want pitches at the course to be allocated on the basis of the same seniority that applied to the old Dundalk course, but the new management believe in pursuing a new system because it is a new stadium.
The bookmakers' association spokesman Ciarán O'Tierney said yesterday, "We are frankly amazed at the comments and that a state-of-the-art racecourse which has received massive financial support from the taxpayer would be willing to provide a sub-standard bookmaking service to racegoers on Sunday week.
"What we want to see is Dundalk providing a top-quality service to racegoers with as many bookmakers as possible generating the largest amount of revenue possible for the racecourse. Such a service is in place at all other major racecourses. Does Dundalk want to settle for less?"
The going at Leopardstown yesterday was officially "soft" ahead of Sunday's card, which includes the Group Three Ballyroan Stakes.
The Coronation Cup runner-up Septimus is among the entries for the race but the indications now are Aidan O'Brien's consistent four-year-old will run instead in next week's Lonsdale Cup at York.
Day Two of the Tramore festival gets under way this evening and the Michael Smurfit colours look set to play a big part, with the Galway GPT Handicap winner Loyal Focus going in the conditions hurdle.
The ground improved slightly yesterday, which should help Loyal Focus, who followed up his GPT success with an honourable eighth in the Galway Hurdle.
Smurfit's colours should also be prominent in the bumper on board Hard And Fast. The four-year-old was expected to do better than he did at Galway when fourth to Pistol Flash, but it may well be third time lucky for Pat Flynn's horse.
The form of the Fairyhouse bumper win of Laura's Light last month has been boosted since by Recovery Man, so he should make his presence felt in the maiden hurdle, while in the handicap chase Tory Hill Lad can defy an 8lb penalty for winning at Fairyhouse.
