Oxx weighting on Murtagh

Racing Champion Stakes countdown: John Oxx does roaring confidence the way Alex Ferguson does muted introspection, but even by his own standards the Curragh trainer is going to great lengths to take nothing for granted this week.

After all, when it comes to the top races, Alamshar, the little colt with the big heart, seems unable to get to the track without at least one scare guaranteed to set Oxx's pulse a racing.

Before his last visit to Leopardstown in May, Alamshar tweaked some back muscles and only just recovered in time. Ahead of the Irish Derby the same thing happened.

Then on the run up to King George, nature seemed determined to deny the colt his favoured fast ground and began to pour forth, and then forth a little bit more. Yet despite the anxieties Alamshar won each time.

It's a trade Oxx is willing to make but while everything for the moment is hunky-dory with the horse, the question mark now lies over who will ride him.

John Murtagh's weight problems are improving quickly but Christophe Soumillon remains on standby to take over in the Champion Stakes if the Irishman cannot shed those agonising last few pounds.

All of which means no one will be more anxious than Oxx to see what Murtagh manages to weigh in at Limerick this evening.

"It is a concern because, obviously, we would like to keep the same jockey on this horse. It is important for the horse, and Johnny knows him and the track so well.

"I hope he will be able to ride. His weight is coming down quickly and without any drastic measures but we cannot be certain until we come to declare on Thursday morning," Oxx said yesterday.

Such scares and uncertainty never featured prominently in the career of Oxx's previous three-year-old champion Sinndar who marched to a triumphant culmination in the Arc de Triomphe three years ago.

Significantly, however, by the start of September, Sinndar still hadn't come close to the official 131 rating that Alamshar picked up for that scintillating King George success.

It's typical of Oxx that he doesn't focus on the flash figure but rather on how the form of those behind his horse at Ascot continues to impress.

"It's tough competition that gets the chance to go up the ratings and Sinndar didn't take on older horses until the Arc.

"Alamshar got that chance in the King George.

"But it is encouraging how those behind him seemed to slot in fairly well. Even Bollin Eric (fourth), who was entitled to win at York, at least went away and did it," he said.

No horse, however, has boosted that King George form better than Falbrav who recovered to score impressively in the Juddmonte and who now will face Alamshar over his favourite ten furlongs.

"Alamshar's last three races have been over a mile and a half so there is a slight worry about going back to a mile and a quarter," Oxx admitted.

"It is not particularly difficult for horses of this quality to go back because they can run over any distance.

"But he might be meeting horses like Falabrav that are more at home over 10 furlongs whereas we're not sure about that."

The possible pay off, however, outweighs any doubts as the 2003 renewal only emphasises the central place the Champion Stakes now occupies in the sport.

"It's at a nice time of year. Some three-year-olds might still be resting by the time York comes round but the Champion Stakes is very well positioned in the racing calendar," Oxx declared.

Almost as well positioned as Alamshar to prove himself a true champion.