Racing: Odds cut on promising Pledge

ZAFONIC is likely to be the shortest price favourite for the 2,000 Guineas since Nijinsky won at 4-7 in 1970 when he lines up at Newmarket on Saturday. The French-trained colt is now as low as 8-11, with William Hill, for the Classic for which 16 horses were declared at yesterday's five-day stage.

The odds for Zafonic, who worked impressively at Chantilly at the weekend, could shorten further but yesterday the chief market interest was for one of the race's outsiders. The Paul Cole-trained Firm Pledge, another to show up well in weekend work, was cut to 20-1 from 25-1 by Ladbrokes, and to 28-1 from 33-1 by William Hill.

2,000 GUINEAS (five-day acceptors with riding plans): Barathea (M Roberts), Bin Ajwaad, Chaddleworth (J Reid), Emperor Jones (R Cochrane), Firm Pledge (A Munro), Inchinor (L Dettori), Ivory Frontier (C Roche), Nominator (W Ryan), Pembroke (W Carson), Petardia (M Hills), Resist The Force, Revelation, Right Win (M Kinane), Silver Wizard (L Piggott), Wharf (W R Swinburn), Zafonic (Pat Eddery).

Glorious Goodwood's big betting race, the Stewards' Cup, is to be switched from the first day of the five-day meeting to the last day, Saturday 31 July. Rod Fabricius, clerk of the course, said: 'I am determined that a Goodwood race should feature in the top five betting races of the season.'