NEWS:FAMOUS NAME could attempt to kick off an end-of-season international bonanza for his trainer Dermot Weld in Saturday's Emirates Airlines Champion Stakes at Newmarket.
The French Derby runner-up is among a dozen possible contenders for the Newmarket feature and is a general 12 to 1 shot in ante-post betting behind the hot favourite New Approach.
Famous Name was overhauled in the closing stages of the Prix Dollar at Longchamp's Arc weekend on his last start but Weld is contemplating a quick follow-up for the Juddmonte-owned colt.
"I will leave a decision until Thursday. I want to see what the field will be like and a decision will also be ground oriented," the Curragh trainer said yesterday.
Famous Name has a preference for soft ground and although the going is currently on the quick side at Newmarket showers are forecast for later in the week.
Weld also has Consulate in Saturday's Jockey Club Cup at Newmarket but that horse will remain at home instead for the Finale Stakes at Fairyhouse.
However, Weld has drawn stumps on Mad About You's three-year-old career and last weekend's Stakes winner at Naas will now miss out on the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita on Saturday week.
"She has come out of Naas fine but as we have decided she will have a four-year-old career the decision has been taken to not go to the Breeders' Cup," he said.
Instead it will be left to the Secretariat Stakes victor Winchester to fly the Rosewell House flag at Santa Anita and it is increasingly looking as if the Breeders' Cup Turf over a mile and a half will be his target.
Winchester also has the option of the Oak Tree Derby on the same card over a mile and a quarter and no final decision will be taken on which he contests until closer to the date. "The Breeders' Cup Turf is looking more likely. But my concern is the mile and a half. It is possible a mile and a quarter might suit better," Weld added.
Profound Beauty is on course to fly the Weld flag in the Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday in November and attempt to add to those historic victories for Vintage Crop and Media Puzzle. The Moyglare Stud-owned filly is as low as 16 to 1 for 'the race that stops a nation' after a 36-hour flight to Australia earlier this week. She is currently in quarantine.
"I'm in contact with Dave Phillips over there every day and she seems to be getting on well," Weld reported.
Racegoers at Dundalk on Friday week could get an unexpected chance to see a Group One winner in action as the Nunthorpe hero Borderlescott is on target for a Listed race there. Borderlescott ran third in the re-run Prix de l'Abbaye on Arc day but is so well that a spokesperson for trainer Robin Bastiman said: "We will have to carry a Group 1 penalty but he is so well he could run at Dundalk."
An inspection will take place at 8am tomorrow morning to see if racing can go ahead at Tipperary on Friday. The sprint races already scheduled for the track have already been abandoned.
The first of two days at Punchestown gets under way this afternoon and Browns Bailey looks to have a good chance of rewarding his followers in the second maiden hurdle. Mouse Morris's well-bred type returned to action with a good run behind South Upper Street at Gowran recently and was staying on well enough at the finish to suggest soft conditions will be no problem to him here.
The Fist Of God has a flat rating to make him a stand out in the three-year-old hurdle but his odds-on defeat at Roscommon in August suggests very testing conditions might not suit him.
In contrast, King Of Queens is an unknown quantity over jumps but has shown a good measure of ability in two all-weather starts at Dundalk.
Henry De Bromhead and Ruby Walsh are always a team to respect when they team up and Sizing America has an attractive weight in the handicap chase, while Commons Glory can figure prominently in the mares bumper.
