Racing: Systematic opportunity at Ascot for Holland

Aidan O'Brien supposedly rocked the world to its Gibraltar on Monday night when he revealed that his "supercolt", the winner of seven consecutive Group One races, remained a consideration for the Breeders' Cup Classic in Chicago in a month's time.

The consideration, however, remains in conversation only and the illusion that the Rock will compete in the most prestigious race on the Arlington Park card is being continued presumably to create the impression that he could be just as potent over 10 furlongs. He cannot. Michael Kinane, Rock Of Gibraltar's regular partner, has already said as much this season. If it was down to the jockey, the horse would move down rather than up in distance should he switch from his optimum distance of a mile.

Still, it seems some form of reality is seeping out of Ballydoyle. It has now been admitted what seemed obvious from the Irish yard's form book, namely that the Rock will not be asked to put his seasonal record under Madame Guillotine in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Saturday. As predicted, that contest will be the preserve of the underachieving Hawk Wing unless an unforecasted downpour comes to Berkshire.

A further absentee from the Ascot festivities looks like being Mick Channon's Mail The Desert, who is likely to wait for Longchamp and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe day following the complication of her recent purchase by Newsells Park Stud.

"She was grand, she was good," Channon said after his Moyglare Stud Stakes winner worked yesterday morning. "There's no firm decision but I think she'll probably wait for the [Prix Marcel] Boussac. She's had X-rays and everything else and she missed a bit of work last week, which was unfortunate. But everything is fine."

More certain for the weekend is yesterday's confirmed union between Darryll Holland and two of Mark Johnston's leading Ascot hopes. Holland will ride Systematic, a leading fancy for Sunday's Group Three Cumberland Lodge Stakes, and Scott's View in Saturday's £70,000 Tote Exacta Stakes.

"My agent rang me up with the news this morning and obviously I'm thrilled to be riding such good horses for Mr Johnston," the jockey said. "I was on The Whistling Teal when Systematic just beat us at York last time so I know how tough and good he is, while Scott's View has improved all season – typically for one of Mark's – and must have a big chance as well."

Jamie Spencer too will have rides at Saturday's main meeting, but not before he has gone back to his roots and competed in a two-mile race exclusively for National Hunt jockeys at Goodwood tomorrow. The Ucello II And Ubu III Trophy Handicap is sponsored by the Marquesa de Moratalla and named after two of her best horses.

Spencer, who grew up in the Co Tipperary territory not dominated by Coolmore and Ballydoyle, is a jumping boy at heart and achieved an ambition earlier this year when he won the bumper at the Cheltenham Festival on Pizarro for his childhood neighbour Edward O'Grady.

Spencer, the leading rider on the Flat at Goodwood this year, has been booked for the Gerard Butler-trained E Minor, who was a comprehensive winner over the distance at Lingfield earlier this month. As he sets out with the intention of emulating Richard Hughes, who renewed his jumps licence in 2000 to ride Samarardo to victory, Spencer will find the stalwart winter names of Mick Fitzgerald, Robert Thornton, Paul Flynn, Mattie Batchelor and Barry Fenton, among others, in his way.

Summitville yet to peak

Summitville is on course for an attempt to give her trainer, James Given, his first Group One success in the Fillies' Mile at Ascot on Saturday.

The daughter of Grand Lodge won the Group Three May Hill Stakes at Doncaster to book her place in Saturday's line up and Given said yesterday: "She's won a Group Three in reasonably impressive style and I think she's a horse who is going to improve. Whether she's improved in just two weeks I would doubt, but she's a horse who has got scope to improve as time goes on."

Soviet Song, who defeated Summitville in the Sweet Solera Stakes, yesterday had a day at the races as part of her preparation. "We brought her up here for a walk round," her trainer, James Fanshawe, said at Newmarket. "She's a strong-willed lady but she was very good which I was pleased about."