Weld sends Dress To Thrill to Newmarket

RACING: Pat Smullen will forego the Curragh tomorrow to ride Dress To Thrill in Newmarket's Sun Chariot Stakes.

Dermot Weld yesterday confirmed the Group Two race as Dress To Thrill's target and that championship chasing Smullen will take the mount.

Smullen trails both John Murtagh and Mick Kinane in the title race but before he takes a break from the chase, he looks to have a certain winner in the bag at Fairyhouse today.

In Time's Eye could qualify for the unwanted tag of best maiden in training - and in Europe at that - but should finally shed it in the nine-furlong maiden.

A seventh on unsuitable ground in the Irish Derby, and a length and a half second to High Chaparral in the Derrinstown Derby Trial, means the Singspiel colt carries a 108 rating into this race.

He hasn't run since the Derby but Weld said yesterday: "He is a good horse and hopefully he will make a good comeback. The ground should be ideal."

Murtagh and Smullen have five rides each at the all-flat fixture and Murtagh's best chance would appear to be the course winner Fortune.

The Oxx filly got up in the final strides last week after a less than clear run but maybe too much can be read into those traffic problems.

Instead Marko Jadeo, who ran into a Mick Kinane-inspired Flying Boat at the Listowel festival, could represent a bit of value.

Dance Fontaine goes back to six furlongs for the nursery and the move is significant considering she almost led to the distance over a mile last time at Gowran behind Dabousiya.

Michael Hussey takes a valuable claim off Boumoussa in the juvenile maiden and that can swing things the way of the Cork third ahead of Latino Magic.

Meanwhile, Oasis Dream lived up to the expectations of trainer John Gosden when setting a new course record in the Shadwell Stud Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket yesterday.

With 6 to 4 favourite Elusive City drifting in the market, the punters came for Oasis Dream and Aidan O'Brien's Tomahawk and it was those two that fought out the finish.

Tomahawk took up the running from his stablemate Irrawaddy just after halfway but Jimmy Fortune was always going well aboard the winner and led with over a furlong to run. Ridden out to the line, he was always holding sway and defeated Tomahawk in a track record time of one minute 09.63 seconds.

O'Brien's dual Derby winner High Chaparral is pressing local hope Sulamani for favouritism in Sunday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp.

Sulamani remains Coral's 7 to 4 favourite but High Chaparral has been cut to 2 to 1 from 9 to 4, while Aquarelliste is an 8 to 1 shot with Islington and Marienbard both 9 to 1. Sixteen runners will face the starter after the defection yesterday of Nayef and Tau Ceti.

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe: 7-4 Sulamani, 2-1 High Chaparral, 8-1 Aquarelliste, 9-1 Islington, Marienbard, 10-1 Manhattan Cafe, 14-1 Asian Heights, 16-1 Falbrav, 25-1 Anabaa Blue, 33-1 Ana Marie, Boreal, 40-1 Califet, Fair Mix, 50-1 Sensible, 100-1 Black Sam Bellamy, Foundation.