Necklace 'a possible'

Aidan O'Brien yesterday described his Moyglare Stud Stakes winner Necklace as just "a possible" for Saturday's Meon Valley Fillies Mile at Ascot.

With dry weather still dominating in Britain, O'Brien expressed doubts about running the Darshaan filly on quick conditions. "She would want the ground very safe. We wouldn't want to risk her so she is only a possible at this stage," he said.

A decision on how far In Time's Eye will have to travel in order to ensure his place in the Melbourne Cup could be made today.

The Royal Ascot winner has to earn prizemoney over 2,300 metres in order to meet the criteria for Melbourne Cup entry and in his nine-race career to date, In Time's Eye has run only once over a mile and a half.

That problem could be rectified in Sunday's Cumberland Lodge Stakes at Ascot or Dermot Weld may instead send him to Australia early for the Caulfield Cup on October 18th.

"I will have to look at what is in the Cumberland Lodge before deciding where he will go," Weld said yesterday of the ante-post second favourite for the highlight of the Australian race year.

The Caulfield option would see the Curragh trainer trying to emulate Lady Herries who sent the outsider Taufan's Melody to win the Caulfield Cup in 1998.

Michael Kinane is well clear in the jockeys' championship and can emphasise that lead at Fairyhouse this afternoon.

Amourallis tops the weights in the six-furlong nursery but the Ger Lyons runner appeared unlucky behind Alexander Goldrun previously and Kinane's presence can only help.

The same comment should also apply to Chief Odin in the last with Kinane booked by Harry Rogers for the four-year-old.

The form of Sahara Sonnet's debut, when third to the Moyglare fourth Misty Heights at Tipperary, looks good enough for the fillies maiden.

In Theory is upped to a mile and a half after a fine effort at the Curragh only on Sunday and that run indicated the extra distance should not be a problem.