Racing: Shaka to halt Craigs' Quest

The imbeciles were kept happy by a piece of work on the Arundel gallops yesterday. Silver Patriarch came through his penultimate exercise before the Derby, but his efforts will not have encouraged Barry Hills, for one, to back him for the Blue Riband. "Anyone who prefers Silver Patriarch to Benny The Dip needs to see a psychiatrist," the trainer said recently.

There is the small matter of Entrepreneur, who is 4-6 for Epsom with William Hill, to overcome as well. The same firm reported sustained support yesterday for Godolphin's Bold Demand, who is 25-1 from 66-1 following reports that he will be the mount of Frankie Dettori.

Kieren Fallon will find out if he has a ride at all in the Classic on Monday. The Irishman will travel to Italy in an attempt to get a suspension he collected in the Italian Derby overturned or deferred. The mount on Jimmy FitzGerald's Symonds Inn awaits if he is successful.

Those who consider that Entrepreneur is already past the Epsom post will get an uncomfortable reminder this weekend. Two years ago Celtic Swing won the Prix du Jockey Club, but generally fell way below the pedestal constructed for him.

A field of 14 go to post for France's Derby tomorrow at Chantilly, where Britain's challenge is led by Voyagers Quest. He has a connection with a previous Derby winner as two weeks ago the colt was bought by Sidney Craig for his wife Jenny. The Craigs do not buy each other little keepsakes, they buy something that can run in a sweep- stakes. Five years ago Jenny bought Dr Devious for her hubby on the eve of his Derby win.

Like Dr Devious, Voyagers Quest is trained by Peter Chapple-Hyam, whose stable has been taken by an ailment. This was exemplified by the performances of Revoque and Romanov in last Sunday's Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh, where their noses ran considerably faster than their legs.

Voyagers Quest worked well on Thursday and the medical tests taken on him proved negative, though the truth about whether his body is housing microbes will really come out tomorrow. Certainly the colt has a chance on form, as his Sandown Classic Trial defeat of Benny The Dip and Silver Patriarch was franked when the placed horses went on to win Derby rehearsals of their own.

Win, lose or draw in Paris, Voyagers Quest will be shipped after the race to California and the stables of Ron McAnally, the orphanage boy who grew up to be the trainer of John Henry, Paseana and Bayakoa.

Britain's other runner is John Gosden's Perfect Paradigm, who appears to have the chance you would expect of a Chester handicap winner, while Ireland's Casey Tibbs is already on a retrieval mission as he cost pounds 28,000 to supplement.

Andre Fabre welcomes the press like you might scabies and France's premier trainer gets particularly prickly when author's detail his failure to win his domestic Derby. Once again Fabre goes in with his scattergun and three runners, the best of whom is Peintre Celebre, whose owner, Daniel Wildenstein, has also won every French Classic apart from the Prix du Jockey Club. The victor, though, may be Jean-Claude Rouget's Shaka (3.20), who is just running into form.

Britain's programme today is made notable as the last day of the jumps season. The National Hunt jockeys can now lay down their whips and gradually recharge their batteries before a new campaign starts at Perth on Thursday.

Stratford features an event, the 38th Year Of The Horse and Hound Cup, which may not be around in 12 months time if government legislation goes through. Cab On Target (4.30) should win in Shakespeare country even if his latest and well-touted effort in the Scottish National transpired to be much ado about nothing.

At Lingfield, the conditions of the Listed race suit Referendum (next best 3.15), while Newmarket's outstanding offering is ALUMISIYAH (nap 3.40), who looks nicely handicapped and can reverse Newbury form on more advantageous terms with Sharp Hat.