Racing: Kingmambo lets Catrail slip into Mile

EUROPE'S challenge for the Breeders' Cup was weakened yesterday by the withdrawal of Kingmambo from the Mile event at Santa Anita on Saturday. The colt's trainer, Francois Boutin, announced yesterday that his St James's Palace Stakes winner is coughing, along with many other horses at his Chantilly stable. 'I just hope it won't affect Coup De Genie,' he said of his representative in the Juvenile Fillies race.

Kingmambo had been generally quoted at 10-1 for the race which will still have a strong European contingent. John Gosden's Catrail, who had been first reserve, will now get a run in that event rather than contest the Sprint. The Andre Fabre-trained Monde Bleu will now step up for that event. Other Europeans in the Mile are France's Bigstone and Ski Paradise and Britain's Barathea and Wolfhound.

Plans remain firm for Jodami, despite his crashing fall, the first of his career, at Wetherby on Saturday. His trainer, Peter Beaumont put the mishap down to 'lack of concentration'.

'I wouldn't say it was because he was getting tired. He just got a little careless, hit the top of the fence and didn't get his legs out in time,' he said.

'He seems fine this morning. There's a bruise or two, but he's eaten up.'

The Hennessy Gold Cup on 27 November remains his next target and bookmakers, looking further ahead, are at odds over his price for the Cheltenham Gold Cup next March. Previously 4-1 for a second Blue Riband success, he has been eased to 5-1 by Ladbrokes, but cut to 7-2 by William Hill.

The winner of Jodami's race, Barton Bank, had his Gold Cup odds cut from 40-1 to 12-1 by Coral after holding off Cab On Target by two lengths.

His trainer, David Nicholson, critical of the lack of races restricted to second-season novices, has lined one up for Barton Bank's next outing. 'I've managed to find one at Sandown on 4 December. It's three miles and he'll go there before the King George,' he said.

'Up against two Gold Cup winners he had his work cut out on Saturday. But I can't claim I'm surprised by what happened. I always knew he was a very good horse.'