Racing: Dunwoody partners Nahthen in the Cup

RICHARD DUNWOODY will ride Nahthen Lad in Saturday's Whitbread Gold Cup at Sandown for the trainer Jenny Pitman who retires at the end of the National Hunt season. Dunwoody has ridden the 10-year-old on three of his five outings this season.

As the likelihood of softish going at Sandown increases, the odds of the fast-ground specialist Baronet (Richard Johnson booked) were yesterday eased from 7-1 to 8-1 by William Hill. The same firm trimmed the Oliver Sherwood-trained Callisoe Bay from 25-1 to 20-1.

Mouse Morris yesterday gave Boss Doyle the go-ahead to run. He reported the gelding in "terrific form" after pulling muscles when last seen out in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown in February. Boss Doyle (11st 2lb) is 10-1 for the Whitbread by Ladbrokes. Morris said: "He will run and Shay Barry rides. The ground is a factor - they say at worst it will be good at Sandown and that is what he wants. I would have preferred him to have under 11st. But 2lb won't stop him. His first two races this term were good and he ran a good race in the Hennessy at Newbury. Then we had a bug in the yard and last time at Leopardstown he pulled muscles in his back. He's been off since but seems in form. He has had a couple of racecourse schools and jumped super."

n There are Jackpot and Placepot carryovers of pounds 178,833 and pounds 10,253,78 to Epsom today.