Racing: Old tries a third time

OLD ROUVEL, who has finished third and second in the last two runnings of the Queen Alexandra Stakes, is to have another tilt at Friday's Royal Ascot contest.

The seven-year-old scored over hurdles at Huntingdon in March but has run indifferently in his last two outings, when pulled up in a three-mile hurdle behind The Proms at Aintree in April, and tailing off in the Chester Cup.

David Murray-Smith, his trainer, insists however that there were valid excuses.

"He is in very good form. The trip is obviously the big thing and Old Rouvel has proved he stays two miles six furlongs at this level. He wouldn't want heavy ground and I wouldn't want it lightning fast for him. But he will handle anything in between,'' the trainer said.

This evening's race meeting at Pontefract is in jeopardy following heavy rain yesterday. Norman Gundill, the clerk of the course, said last night: "The meeting is in serious doubt. We will hold an inspection at nine in the morning."