Cecil can have faith in Bishop

What, Henry Cecil must be wondering this morning, is the point of training almost 200 horses when you cannot find even one to take on your biggest rival in a Group Two event half a mile down the road?

As his struggle with the Godolphin string for the trainers' title moves towards its climax, Cecil can only watch today as Charnwood Forest sets out to extend Godolphin's lead in the championship in the Challenge Stakes at Newmarket.

Charnwood Forest is not far behind the very best in Europe over a mile, but today's drop back to seven furlongs is not certain to suit him. Lucayan Prince, by contrast, is ideally suited by this distance, but may not get the fast pace he requires, which leaves BISHOP OF CASHEL (nap, 3.40) as the likely winner. James Fanshawe's colt was a little disappointing at Longchamp last time, but the form of his previous victory at Doncaster gives him an outstanding chance.

The day's most valuable race is the fiercely-contested Two-Year-Old Trophy at Redcar, which tends to give smaller yards a fair crack of the whip against their better-known rivals. That could be the case again today, for while Jhazi (David Loder) and Much Commended (Geoff Wragg) go to post with good chances, Brian Meehan's Tomba (next best 2.55) should have the beating of both.

Back at Newmarket, there are any number of possible winners in the 12- furlong rated stakes, with Dear Life (2.35) just preferred to Polydamus and Zaralaska. Daring Flight (3.10) will be the value against Amyas in the nursery, but the final televised handicap is poor and one to avoid.

Greg Wood