Rakti can make amends

Jarvis reports that Rakti is fully recovered from the injury he sustained there and, with Godolphin's new recruit Vespone among the opposition, the four-year-old looks sure to get the truly-run race which suits him ideally.

The 20-1 offered in one place early this week was never going to last, and the 18-1 which followed has dried up over the last 48 hours. Not to worry. There's still plenty of 12-1 available and, provided his stalls aversion is a thing of the past, Rakti looks capable of giving his followers a run for their money.

Tomorrow's Darley Dewhurst Stakes will have to go some to live up to the hype it has attracted this week, but there's no doubt that it has all the makings of a cracking contest.

In essence, the key to solving the puzzle lies in choosing between two horses who have thrived over a mile and a clutch of others who have shone over six furlongs.

Three Valleys is the pick of the sprinters based on his threequarter length defeat of Balmont in the Middle Park Stakes here two weeks ago, and the reports of his spectacular homework will ensure he has plenty of supporters again.

Duke Of Venice is another strong contender after his runaway maiden win at Sandown, while Snow Ridge showed a rare turn of foot to win the Royal Lodge Stakes at Ascot and will relish what seems sure to be a strong gallop.

Antonius Pius and Imperial Stride are both unbeaten with plenty of scope for further improvement, but don't be surprised to see Haafhd show his true colours at a big price.

Granted, this powerful chestnut failed to live up to expectations in Doncaster ' s Champagne Stakes, but the sticky ground was less than ideal for such a fluent mover.

Look back to Newbury in August and Haafhd simply floated over the fast ground to make some smart rivals look second rate in a Listed race.

His sire Alhaarth won this race back in 1995, while his trainer Barry Hills has won the Dewhurst three times in all thanks to Scenic, In Command and Distant Music.