Pedrillo to land the gamble

Pedrillo is clearly well treated with a 5lb penalty for that success and his wily trainer has already won the Cambridgeshire three times.

All the signs suggest Pedrillo has been laid out for Cambridgeshire number four and, with further improvement on the cards, he can come out on top at the chief expense of Gatwick and Blue Spinnaker.

Tomorrow's most valuable race at Newmarket has been billed as a three cornered fight between Attraction, Chic and Nebraska Tornado.

And understandably so, but none of this high class trio has a flawless profile for the Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes.

Attraction was formidable in the first half of the season but is vulnerable if more rain arrives. Chic handles holding ground but took a long time to warm up in the Celebration Mile at Goodwood, while Nebraska Tornado hasn't seemed quite so good this year as she was in 2003.

In the circumstances, it could pay to take a chance with Majestic Desert. Mick Channon's filly is held by Attraction on several pieces of form, but she ran a fine race in Group 1 company at Deauville last time and might just be holding her form well enough to surprise her better fancied rivals.

Sunday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe has looked wide open for weeks and is hardly much easier to solve now the final declarations are known.

With Doyen and Sulamani withdrawn, the Derby hero North Light has inherited favouritism as he bids to give Sir Michael Stoute and Kieren Fallon their first Arc win. This powerful galloper looks sure to go well. So does his gutsy Irish Derby conqueror Grey Swallow, but Valixir looks the value bet to keep French racing's most cherished prize at home.

This muscular colt needs to improve on what he's shown thus far, but his trainer Andre Fabre has five Arcs on his CV and four came via progressive three-year-olds who limbered up for their big day in Longchamp's Prix Niel.

Granted, Valixir only scraped home from Prospect Park in the Niel last month, but that form has probably been underestimated.

Valixir certainly travelled like a high-class horse there and would have won by further than a nose but for running lazily in front.

He's almost certainly ready to peak now and, in a race which will be run to suit him, he looks well worth a little each-way.

Big-race selections
Newmarket (tomorrow): 3.15, Majestic Desert; 3.55, Pedrillo;
Longchamp (Sunday): 4.30, Valixir.