Racing: Anthem odds on to overcome Daylami

ROYAL ANTHEM is a 4-6 chance with Coral to beat Daylami in a match bet in an intriguing clash for the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown a week today. Daylami is an 11-10 chance with Coral to confirm his three- quarters-of-a-length Coronation Cup superiority over Henry Cecil's impressive International Stakes winner.

The head-to-head bet will be void if either does not run, and is determined by which horse finishes ahead of the other regardless of who wins the race.

Ernie Weymes yesterday cited financial reasons for his decision to retire from training next February. "I've put pounds 25,000 to pounds 30,000 of my own money into racing over the last 12 years and I've still got an overdraft," he said. "I just couldn't carry on subsidising owners. It's been a hard time but a good time and I wouldn't have swapped my life for anything."

Weymes, 64, who trained Lanzarote on the Flat, has 11 horses in his care and will hand over to his son John.