Racing: Muse bets a mystery

MUSE, winner of the Racecall and New Year's Day Hurdles this season, was strongly supported for the Champion Hurdle yesterday and is now as low as 10-1 with Hills for the Cheltenham race after starting the day at 25-1.

The precise origin of the gamble was a mystery, not least to Tom Marshall, who manages Muse on behalf of a 100-strong syndicate. 'It's news both to me and David (Elsworth, Muse's trainer). The first I heard about it was when one of the members told me he had tried to back him but found the price had shortened. He would hardly be a good thing, but he should run a big race in the Champion and finish in the first four.'

Of more immediate interest was the money for Sybillin in Saturday's Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot. Jimmy FitzGerald's promising novice is now 7-2 from 5-1 with Ladbrokes, who make Cyphrate favourite at 3-1.