Racing: Zafeen ready to justify Channon's high praise

Mick Channon was high up on the roof of Berkshire recently surveying all that lay beneath him geographically and physically as the first lot from West Ilsley trotted past.

"We've been very lucky to find a good horse most years," he said. "We've had your Josrs [Algarhoud], Bint Allayls and Queen's Logics. Now we've got him."

Channon nodded at a little bay colt in the string, a horse which distinguished himself by prancing past as if to impress the trainer. He need not have bothered. That feat has been achieved already.

Zafeen, however, can further endear himself to the guv'nor this afternoon when he contests the race named after one of the county's most celebrated of racehorses, the Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury.

Eight runners go to post for an apparently competitive race, and the most striking fin breaking the surface belongs, as usual, to Ballydoyle. Aidan O'Brien's first runner on the card is the unraced France in the opening maiden, while his Mill Reef representative has been distilled from eight runners at the penultimate declaration stage.

The better-known names have not made the cut and O'Brien relies instead on Miguel Cervantes, who beat Peratus in a Curragh maiden over the minimum trip on his only start to date. That in itself is not enough to have you running out of the water, but his trainer quite likes him. "This fellow has a lot of speed and he likes good ground," O'Brien said yesterday. "He should not have any problems going up to six furlongs."

Baron's Pit, the victor in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot, is another to consider, but the proper credentials here have been established by Zafeen (next best 3.25), who possesses Group One form in a Group Two contest having chased home Elusive City at Deauville last month.

"I am very lucky to have a horse of this quality," Channon said yesterday. "He has really thrived since finishing second in the Prix Morny and I'm looking forward to running him."

Fame, even of a temporary nature, has thus far proved elusive for a third Ballydoyle runner on the card, the Cork maiden second Warhol, a contestant in the Haynes, Hanson And Clark Stakes which has been the nursery of champions down the years.

Now in its 24th year, this is a contest which originally went to Henbit, a subsequent Derby winner, swiftly to be followed by another in Shergar. Since then, the parade has included Rainbow Quest, Shahrastani and, more recently, Nayef.

It is a hot torch to be picking up and the most likely bearers are either Quartet, who will not fail for stamina, or, more likely, Dhabyan (4.00), who runs in the same colours as Nayef and was devilishly unlucky in the Solario Stakes at Sandown last time.

Earlier, Suggestive and Binary File are among the challengers for the Dubai Duty Free Cup. Suggestive is the faster of the two, but it is possible he will get involved in an internecine duel for the lead with Atavus. That should leave Binary File (2.55) to come dancing through the pieces.

In Scotland, there will be much sleuthing surrounding the Ayr Silver Cup, the consolation race for the golden version staged tomorrow. Much significance will be gathered from which side of the course today's winner emerges.

Boanerges was first home on the unfavoured near side in this race last year and will not be far away at a big price. Slight preference though is for NIGHT RUNNER (nap 3.10), who is young, improving and hardly compromised by having Tim Easterby as his trainer.

n Richard Hughes was banned for seven days by the Yarmouth stewards yesterday for deliberately trying to hit Shane Kelly or Kelly's mount with his whip during the 4.25 race. The incident happened three furlongs from the finish. Hughes was on Copperfields Lass with Kelly on Look Away Now.