Tabor's Marlin lands Million

Michael Tabor, the owner who picked up the pounds 37,000 prize for the Celebration Mile at Goodwood on Saturday when Among Men was awarded the race after Frankie Dettori and Cape Cross were disqualified, landed a more substantial haul at the expense of the Italian when his Marlin won the Arlington Million in Chicago last night. Dettori finished sixth of eight starters on the Godolphin-owned Allied Forces.

Tabor's purse of pounds 357,000 will help fuel his next expedition to the sales this autumn when he will shop in pursuit of another like Entrepreneur, the sales-topper that won him this year's 2,000 Guineas. The D Wayne Lukas- trained, Gary Stevens-ridden Marlin will again try to swell the fund when he tackles the Breeders' Cup Turf at Hollywood Park in November.

Dettori was also among the also-rans in the Beverly D Stakes, finishing fifth of six to Memories Of Silver on the Criquette Head-trained Always Loyal. Ireland's representative, the Dermot Weld-trained, Michael Kinane- ridden Dance Design won pounds 32,700 for finishing third.

Dettori returns at speed to Britain today, appropriately enough for the Frankie Dettori Ton-Up Stakes at Chepstow, and has until tomorrow to appeal against the ban imposed on him by the Goodwood stewards.

Anyone who tried to get a few words from him as he left Windsor on Saturday night could have been forgiven for thinking that the Italian was off to a fancy dress party, and had decided to go as Lester Piggott. Normally a high-octane quote machine, Dettori would not comment on a day which, though it included a couple of winners by the Thames, also involved two disqualifications and that five-day suspension.

For John Gosden, the trainer who retains him, an end to a period of gloom may be in sight. Dettori's second Windsor winner was King Sound in the Harefield Stakes, the race which Gosden used to prepare Shantou for his St Leger win 12 months ago.

"Frankie is not too happy and does not want to talk about the Goodwood affair," Nicky Vaughan, Gosden's travelling head lad, said. "King Sound is in the Leger and could go to the Classic.

"We took some fancied top-of-the-ground horses to York but the ground was too dead for them, and the Goodwood business [Dettori's disqualified "winners" were both trained by Gosden] has just about put the tin hat on it."

Although Godolphin missed the target with Allied Forces, Classic Cliche, their Leger winner two seasons ago, won the Prix Kergorlay at Deauville yesterday. The race was a clean sweep for British-based yards with Orchestra Stall (John Dunlop) and Chief Contender (Peter Chapple-Hyam) second and third.

The French kept the big race of the day, the Prix Morny, at home. Xaar, trained by Andre Fabre, started the hot favourite, but was narrowly beaten by Charge D'Affaires, trained by Alain du Royer-Dupre. Aidan O'Brien's Heeremandi was third, with Desert Prince, from David Loder's yard, only fifth.

A listed handicap is as high as the quality threshold goes today, but for anyone seeking a Bank Holiday diversion, quantity is often more important. This has been recognised by Channel 4, which brings us their version of the old ITV 7 from Epsom and Newcastle (and we will not embarrass anyone by pointing out that several of the presenters from the 1970s are still going strong).

Epsom's feature event is the Moet & Chandon Silver Magnum, the "amateurs' Derby" in which the skill of the jockeys often has more to do with the result than the ability of their mounts. Lord Huntingdon, who won the race for the Queen 12 months ago, saddles Shaft Of Light, who now seems best at two miles or more. Any attempt to gallop his rivals into the ground could play into the hands of Casual Water (next best 3.10), who needs a fast pace. The excellent Robert Thornton rides.

In the five-furlong sprint, LADY SHERIFF (nap 3.10) is impossible to oppose from her draw on the stands rail, not least since Gaelic Storm, her most obvious rival, has a nasty habit of missing the break, which generally proves fatal on this lightning-fast track. Iron Mountain (2.05) has clearly been trained with nurseries in mind and is weighted to go close.

At Newcastle, Safio (2.20) could offer some value against Epic Stand, who drops back in trip, and Woodbeck (3.25) must also go well. The Blaydon Nursery was won last year by the subsequent Derby runner The Fly, but with at least a dozen promising juveniles in the field, this is not a race for sensible punters.