Racing: Oscar gets part in Stewards'

THE TRAINER David Nicholls will have two fancied runners in Saturday's Stewards' Cup Handicap now Double Oscar is set to line up. Fears Double Oscar would be eliminated from the Goodwood six-furlong sprint were dispelled yesterday when 21 were withdrawn, leaving him 30th in the list for a race with a safety limit of 30.

Double Oscar has been well-backed for the race since finishing an unlucky- in-running second at Newcastle on Saturday. Stable-companion Pepperdine is 6-1 market leader for the race, in which last year's winner Superior Premium heads the 62 confirmations.

Superior Premium, a winner in Sweden last month before finishing fourth in the Cork and Orrery at Royal Ascot, is due to carry 9st 10lb. The only others set to carry more than 9st are Ian Balding's Halmahera (9st7lb) and Night Shot (9st6lb).

Peter Calver's stable stalwart Perryston View will have a new rider when George Duffield takes the reins.

Calver reported: "He is on 96 now and he would need everything to go right for him if he was to win off that mark.

Jim Goldie runs Indian Spark, who will be accompanied to Sussex by stablemate Johayro, set to line up in the Stewards' Sprint the previous day.

STEWARDS' CUP HANDICAP (Goodwood, Saturday): Coral: 6-1 Pepperdine, 12- 1 Tajasur, 14-1 Cadeaux Cher, Deep Space, Double Oscar, Further Outlook, Night Shot, Tussle, 16-1 Halmahera, Harmonic Way, Literary Society, 20- 1 others.

William Hill: 6-1 Pepperdine, 12-1 Cadeaux Cher, Tussle, 14-1 Double Oscar, 16-1 Deep Space, Halmahera, Harmonic Way, Night Flight, Night Shot, 20-1 Literary Society, Social Harmony, 25-1 Caballero, Marsad, Primo Lara, Red Lion, Superior Premium, Twice As Sharp, 33-1 others.

Tote: 5-1 Pepperdine, 12-1 Cadeaux Cher, 14-1 Deep Space, Night Shot, Tussle, 16-1 Double Oscar, Harmonic Way, Night Flight, 20-1 Halmahera, Literary Society, Marsad, Social Harmony, Superior Premium, 25-1 others.