THE Prix du Moulin at Longchamp on Sunday has an exciting look, with Ashkalani, Spinning World and Shake The Yoke - winners respectively of the French 2,000 Guineas, Irish 2,000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes all likely to run.
However, the English challenge for the Group One event was halved yesterday when Gay Kelleway removed Sorbie Tower from the race. The Sussex Stakes fourth's withdrawal, in favour of a likely tilt at the Prix de la Foret, leaves Ben Hanbury's Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Matiya as the only acceptor from Britain. Matiya will be bidding to become the first British winner of the race since All At Sea scored for Henry Cecil in 1992.
The Criquette Head-trained Sensation, a big disappointment when tailed off in the Prix Jacques le Marois, was yesterday's other withdrawal.
Other acceptors at the forfeit stage were Vetheuil and Shaanxi, second and third behind Spinning World in the Prix Jacques le Marois, plus Carling, Le Triton, Grey Risk and Metaphor, the last-named a possible pacemaker for Spinning World.
Hammerstein, who pipped Green Green Desert in a valuable Ascot ladies race under Sally Eddery, can gain his first victory in listed class in the Milcars Temple Fortune Stakes at Kempton today.
He rewarded Michael Stoute's decision to turn him out again just seven days after Ascot with a most authoritative success in a valuable conditions event at Goodwood, bursting clear at the two-furlong pole to beat Russian Music by a length and a half.
Hammerstein was far from disgraced when pitched into the Group Three Hungerford Stakes at Newbury last time, beaten under five lengths behind Bin Rosie in fifth place.
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