RACING DIGEST: THE CO Meath-based trainer Eddie Lynam is aiming his Group Two-winning star Duff at Newmarket's Challenge Stakes next month and the six-year-old will miss out on Saturday's Diadem Stakes at Ascot as a result.

Duff put in a career best performance to win the Park Stakes at Doncaster on St Leger day and will remain at seven furlongs for his next start. “I think we’ve seen now that seven furlongs is the best trip for him. He has won Listed races at six furlongs and mile but his Group performances have been at seven,” Lynam said yesterday.

“He has come out of Doncaster very well and is likely to run next in the Challenge (October 17th) We are hoping to get an invite to Hong Kong later in the year. But in the meantime we are aiming to take him to Newmarket and he should run unless the ground turns up soft. He’s a very game horse,” he added.

Paul Deegan expects Bobbyscot to put up a good performance in the Juddmonte Beresford Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday. The Co Kildare-based trainer sends the Alhaarth colt to the Group Two at his local track on the back of finishing second to subsequent Champagne Stakes runner-up Viscount Nelson in a Listed race at Tipperary nearly seven weeks ago.

“He’s a very progressive sort of two-year-old, he goes on any ground and the trip won’t be a problem to him. He’s a very nice horse and he goes there with every chance,” said Deegan. “He’s in very good form and we gave him a break after his Listed race. We’re very happy with him. I also have Crying Time in there but he might go for a maiden instead.”

Deegan also intends giving Lady Springbank, formerly trained in England by Karl Burke, her first run since joining his team in the Group Three CL Weld Park Stakes on the same card. “I’ve only had her a few weeks. She seems like a nice filly, but I don’t know a lot about her. She’s done everything that’s been asked of her and she came over here for a bit of soft ground. The seven furlongs is a bit of a question mark, but hopefully she stays it and we’ll find out if she’s up to that level.”