Racing: Spirit takes flight

IAN BALDING has employed the local knowledge of an Englishman abroad in an attempt to win today's Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil, France's richest hurdle. Balding sends Crystal Spirit for the race over three and a quarter miles and has booked Guy Landau for the ride. Landau, who partnered Lean Ar Aghaidh to his Whitbread Gold Cup victory, has built a successful career on the other side of the Channel.

There are no British challengers for tomorrow's Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud which features the second and third in last year's Arc, Magic Night and Pistolet Bleu, and the horse that was so unlucky in the Coronation Cup, Subotica.