Bell warning over Sariska's York bid

Dual Classic winner Sariska will only run in next Thursday's Yorkshire Oaks if the ground on the Knavesmire is good or softer warned trainer Michael Bell today.

Sariska, who was beaten by Dar Re Mi in this race on good to firm ground 12 months ago, is not only scheduled for a rematch with Lady Lloyd Webber's mare in the Group One 1m 4f contest but also arch-rival Midday, who bounced back to form in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood.

Bell, observing that Sariska has beaten Henry Cecil's Midday on all three occasions that they have met, said: "She is in very good form and we want to run at York but they are talking of a dry week and it would have to be good for us to take our chance.

"We took a bit of a gamble both in the Middleton at York and again in the Coronation Cup at Epsom and got away with it but horses will only take so much fast ground and she is a heavy filly who has the Arc as her prime objective. So we won't be taking any risks before Paris."

Bell's Wigmore Hall will fly out to Chicago tomorrow for the Group One Secretariat Stakes at Arlington Park on Saturday week.

He added: "Wigmore Hall goes there on a high, having won his prep-race at Newmarket last week. He has been a revelation this year since we gelded him and he is our best chance of having a winner in America."