Racing: Marling motivates Swinburn

WALTER SWINBURN, an absentee from Britain's racecourses for a month following an accident in which he sustained head injuries, was back in the winners' enclosure at Kempton yesterday.

Swinburn, who took the opening race on Mithl Al Hawa, is still feeling his way back, but expects to be at his peak for Ascot's Festival meeting at the weekend.

'I'm still not 100 per cent and it will take a couple of days to get the muscles going again,' he said. 'It's like the start of the season all over again, but I'll be fully fit to take the mount on Marling at Ascot on Saturday. She has been a big incentive in my recovery.'

Light rain at the Berkshire course yesterday prompted Ladbrokes to cut All At Sea (5-1 from 6-1) and Selkirk (6-4 from 7-4) for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, while Marling (4-1 from 3-1) and Rodrigo De Triano (7-2 from 3-1 with a run) were the ones on the slide. The most extravagant move was in another race, however, with Luca Cumani's Laburnum being promoted to 6-1 favourite, from 12-1, for the Krug Trophy.