Jarvis has dual option for Court

While debate rumbles on over whether dual Derby and Arc victor Sinndar has been rated highly enough by Europe's handicappers, two colts whose reputations he dented this season have varying chances of gaining some compensation this weekend.

Holding Court ran away with the Prix du Jockey-Club before managing only a lacklustre sixth to Sinndar in the Irish Derby and then never looking happy when fifth in a rough renewal of the Grosser Preis Von Baden behind subsequent Arc sixth Samum.

He has the choice of either Newmarket's Dubai Champion Stakes over ten furlongs this Saturday or Longchamp's mile-and-a-half Prix du Conseil de Paris at the lesser Group Two level the following day.

"Holding Court has got plenty of speed, although he stays 12 furlongs well and Newmarket's ten furlongs take a bit of getting," said trainer Michael Jarvis. "The recent rain we've had is in his favour, but I'll be seeing how the races shape up before choosing which onehe'll go for."

A decision will be made this Thursday on whether Derby runner-up Sakhee takes his place in the Champion line-up after incurring a series of setbacks during the past four weeks.

His Arundel trainer John Dunlop has been frustrated in plans for the Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned colt this season, ascribing his below-par Eclipse Stakes fourth to having picked up an injury when chasing home Sinndar in the Epsom classic.