Osterhase the pick

RACING/Cork preview and King George VI Stakes: This evening's Fermoy Handicap in Cork has attracted the type of runner more normally to be found competing at Group and Listed Race level.

Although it lacks a sponsor, this is a Premier Handicap and the top weight, Osterhase, is undoubtedly the fastest horse ever trained by John Mulhern, who is more usually associated with National Hunt horses.

His two successes last year included the Belgrave Stakes at The Curragh, where he defeated One Won One, while his best run this season came at The Curragh on Derby Day when he was second to the Royal Ascot winner Deportivo.

These sizeable sprint purses almost invariably now draw English competition, and this is no exception with the durable veteran Dancing Mystery attempting to improve on his one previous Irish assault when beaten a short-head by Colonel Cotton last September.

The narrow half-length defeat of La Shalak by Avoir du Cran at Limerick last night is a pointer in the Derrinstown Stud Apprentice Handicap to top weight Moojaz, who was a close second to La Shalak at Killarney last week.

Aidan O'Brien's two-year-olds are finding first-time success elusive this season and Solved, who has progressed in her races so far, getting within a neck of Born In America at Tipperary last time, could snatch the Irish Stallion Farms Maiden Stakes off the Ballydoyle newcomer Celtic Cat.

Penny Fiction, a long-odds first-time winner at Fairyhouse, was not disgraced behind Royal Rosa in a top-grade Irish bumper at Punchestown. It could take a smart mare to beat her now that she reverts to her own gender in the Glantane Flat Race.

Meanwhile, Sulamani was all the rage with punters yesterday for the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes and has been cut by Ladbrokes and Coral for Saturday's Ascot showpiece. Frankie Dettori's mount has been the best backed horse in Coral's betting following the final declarations, and the Godolphin colt is now 9 to 2 joint-second favourite from 5 to 1.

Irish Derby winner Alamshar heads the betting at 7 to 2, from 100 to 30, while last year's second, Nayef, is the other joint favourite.

Sulamani, along with the other Godolphin runners Leadership and Grandera, will be bidding to give the Dubai operation their fourth win in the race and their 100th Group One victory in all.

"Punters seem to have latched on to Godolphin's excellent record in the race, and added to the 'Frankie-factor' and the forecast rain, Sulamani could well go off favourite on Saturday," predicted Coral spokesman David Stevens.

Michael Kinane will try to improve on his impressive tally in the King George when he partners Grandera. He will be having his eighth ride in the race, having won the prestigious contest in the past on Belmez (1990), King's Theatre (1994), Montjeu (2000) and Galileo (2001).

BETTING: Coral: 7-2 Alamshar, 9-2 Sulamani, Nayef, 5-1 Kris Kin, 7-1 Falbrav, 10-1 Victory Moon, 12-1 Warrsan, Bollin Eric, 16-1 Indian Creek, 25-1 Leadership, Millenary, Grandera, 66-1 Magistretti, 150-1 Izdiham.

William Hill: 3-1 Alamshar, 9-2 Nayef, 5-1 Kris Kin, 11-2 Sulamani, 8-1 Falbrav, Victory Moon, 14-1 Bollin Eric, 16-1 Indian Creek, Warrsan, 20-1 Leadership, Millenary, 28-1 Grandera, 66-1 Magistretti, 200-1 Izdiham.