Racing News round-upJohn Oxx is adopting a "wait and see" attitude ahead of tomorrow's Emirates Champion Stakes, but he indicated yesterday that the long-time ante-post favourite Azamour is still likely to take his chance.
Almost 10 millimetres of rain yesterday turned the ground at Newmarket officially "soft", which was not the sort of news the Azamour team wanted to hear.
The St James's Palace and Irish Champion Stakes winner, who was taken out of August's Juddmonte International at York just before the race due to very soft going, was nevertheless one of 11 horses declared for the weekend highlight, along with the other Irish hope, Aidan O'Brien's Mingun.
The 48-hour declaration, however, leaves Oxx with an anxious interval which he hopes will allow the surface at Newmarket to dry out sufficiently to enable Azamour to show his best.
"I doubt if it's going to be like York when the horse was in the pre-parade ring all ready to go before we decided the going was too soft. We will have two days racing at Newmarket to help us and the track there is unique in how well it can drain," Oxx said.
"We will just have to sit and wait and see how it goes. The three horses (including Caradak in the Challenge Stakes and Mkuzi in the Jockey Club Cup) are due to travel and I expect they will.
"It's disappointing, because the ground will not be ideal, but if it's yielding or the soft side of good, maybe even softer, then I think we will let him run."
If nothing else it would be a valuable bit of information going into his four-year-old career to know if he really dislikes it.
"Having said that, he has been working on similar ground and seems to have been enjoying himself so we will find out," he added.
If he does run, Azamour's opposition will include a trio from Godolphin, including Doyen (Frankie Dettori) and Refuse To Bend (Kerrin McEvoy).
Eleven 1 colts have also been declared for the Dewhurst Stakes, with Oratorio bidding to emulate Rock Of Gibraltar's Prix Jean-Luc Lagadere-Dewhurst double of three years ago. The other Irish challenger will be Jim Bolger's Democratic Deficit.
Dermot Weld has taken the former ante-post favourite Orpington out of the Cesarewitch, but looking ahead there was good news from Australia for the trainer. Vinnie Roe and Media Puzzle have arrived safely in Australia ahead of their Melbourne Cup bid in 17 days and are now in quarantine after a 51-hour journey from door to door.
Pat Smullen looks likely to remain on board the four-time Irish Leger winner Vinnie Roe, but the riding situation is less clear about the 2002 winner Media Puzzle.
Damien Oliver, who rode Media Puzzle to an emotional triumph two years ago, is booked to ride the British-trained Distinction in tomorrow's Caulfield Cup, and an impressive display there would see the jockey on board at Flemington also.
Distinction is currently a 9 to 1 joint second favourite for the Melbourne Cup with Paddy Power behind the market leader She's Archie. Vinnie Roe, who may be taken out of the race if the ground is too quick, is 10 to 1, with Media Puzzle currently an 18 to 1 shot.
