Racing: Supporters still loyal to Killer Instinct

KILLER INSTINCT was, rather surprisingly, all the rage with punters yesterday, despite several previous costly defeats.

The infamous "talking horse", favourite for the 2000 Guineas before his debut and beaten at odds-on on each of his first two starts, has been heavily backed for Saturday's John Smiths' Cup at York.

His price was cut from 3-1 favourite in to 9-4 by Coral and from 5-2 in to 2-1 by William Hill.

Coral's spokesman, Simon Clare, said: "Killer Instinct was the only horse the betting public wanted to back this morning but he's been a bookies' friend in the past so we would be insane not to lay these bets."

John Smith's Cup (York, Saturday): Coral: 9-4 Killer Instinct (from 3- 1), 5-1 Pasternak, 6-1 Dee Pee Tee Cee, Siege, 10-1 Mirjan, 12-1 Alboostan, 16-1 Achilles, Captain Scott, Dancing Phantom, Golconda, Raheen, 20-1 others.

William Hill: 2-1 Killer Instinct (5-2), 5-1 Dee Pee Tee Cee (4-1), 11- 2 Pasternak (5-1), 6-1 Siege (7-1), 10-1 Mirjan (9-1), 12-1 Alboostan, 16-1 Golconda, 20-1 others.